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.

Pergamon Museum

We basically had a free day today to tool around Berlin. I was the only one who wanted to visit the Pergamon Museum so I set out by myself. It's one of Europe's most famous museums of antiquities. The museum gets its name from the ancient Greek city of Pergamon and when you enter the first exhibition hall, you are surrounded by the Pergamon Altar. It's really breath-taking and quite amazing. Then, there was a special exhibit on Babylon. Entering that exhibit, you walked through the Ishtar Gate. It's made of blue mosaic and features 3-D tiling of lions, dragons and bulls, symbols of Babylonian gods. The exhibit included all aspects of Babylonian life...from their kings and rulers to the tools they used to work in the fields. It's amazing to see the items that belonged to people just like us so many years ago. There was jewelry that had been removed from a grave site that looked fashionable enough to wear today! There were hair combs and games. Stone tablets with the most intricate carvings I have ever seen were actual writing tablets used to record letters from the king. So, I spent several hours there and had a wonderful time. It was getting quite packed by the time I left. I walked around for a good while and then walked back to the hotel. It was a haul but it was a nice walk and a good chance to see different parts of the city.

I don't know what my internet connection will be like in the coming week. I will post as much as I can. In the meantime, thanks for following along and have a great weekend!

And by the way...

There's been no news on Zeke. The next email we expect to receive is either the email telling us to do the DNA test or telling us we're approved and we can come get him. I fully expect to get the DNA email and so, I wish it would hurry up and get here. The sooner we get started on it, the sooner we get it done, get approval and go get the baby. I'm trying to mentally prepare myself for not traveling until September, just in case. Please pray with me that we get to travel much, much sooner.

Things are winding down...

for our group. We've got tonight and tomorrow before everyone leaves Europe or goes off on their extension travel. I'll be heading to Meerbusch, Germany Sunday morning by train to see two friends I met the last time I was here. They are delightful and I'll get to spend a couple of days there and will be interviewing them for a story I'm doing. Then, it's off to Ghent, Belgium Tuesday morning where I'll be til Thursday. And Thursday, early in the morning, I head to Paris...YAY!! I'm glad Paris is my last stop. I really miss Brad so much and if I didn't have Paris to look forward to...well, I'd probably try to book an early flight home. So, it will be good to be on my own for a week. It's been a fun group experience though clearly some of these people came for the wrong reasons because they just didn't seem to enjoy the official meetings. Most of the meetings were great and very interesting, in my opinion. Oh well. You can't make everyone happy...and that's the "poodle's core!"

Broadcasters Behaving Badly

So, I predicted this would happen before I left! Last summer, I was in Europe with two other reporters from NPR affiliates and the rest were newspaper reporters. What a great, laid-back group! No one was uptight about anything, everyone was good-humored virtually the entire time. But, this time, with a group of broadcast journalists, it's quite different. It's a stereotype but it's true: broadcast journalists are extroverted, pushy kinds of people. There's a reason that we are portrayed so badly in movies...because there's a lot of truth in this image!

Today, we had a German camera crew with us at Templehof Airport so the TV reporters could get some footage, conduct an interview and shoot stand-ups (the part where the reporter is on camera saying a few lines). The story? Today is the 60th anniversary of the start of the Berlin Airlift. The TV reporters were acting so irritated about the whole arranagement because the tour guide took us around first without the TV crew...The crew was going around other parts of the airport shooting video. The tour guide would start to tell some good stories and they would interrupt and say, "Can we wait to hear this when we have the camera crew?" Never mind that I was recording much of the tour for my radio story. I got bits and pieces of good audio during the tour. Then, we met up with the camera crew. I had to get my mic in on this too but couldn't get it very close to the guy because it might get in the TV shot (again, typical treatment of radio reporters). So, I'm editing my story now and I think I got some good stuff despite the TV reporters being jerks. I mean, I would've pushed back if I felt I really wasn't getting enough for my story but I was satisfied with what I had. And I interviewed the tour guide right before we left, just me and him and I got the best sound of the whole day. All the TV reporters had asked him how he felt about the airlift and he kept saying, "I don't remember how I felt really because I was only 10." I asked him this in my one-on-one interview at the end: "Many Germans talk about how great the airlift was in a nostalgic way. But it seems there are also deeper emotions about it and what it meant to people. Can you talk about that emotional aspect?" Oh my goodness. It nearly brought tears to my eyes. He said the airlift meant he wasn't left behind. That America could've decided to chuck the whole thing and let Russia have West Berlin but the airlift meant he and the others in West Berlin had freedom and "were not left behind." So, in the end, I had the best sound for the day. And I never had to act like a jerk to get it!

Back "Home"

We came back to Berlin today and checked into the same hotel where we began our trip. It's nice to be back "home." We are in nicer rooms this time too! It's easy to forget how hard it is to travel by train in a group and with large suitcases. But we made it and our group train travels are over. We will spend the rest of our time together as a group here in Berlin. Now, on to some photos!


Missy poses with a GDR-era car in the streets of Leipzig. (GDR=communist regime)


The light and airy inside of Saint Nicholas Church. It was here that weekly peace prayer services laid the groundwork for revolution against the communists. Amazing what a little prayer can do, huh?


Inside Saint Nicholas Church.


Inside the Stasi Museum (former Stasi prison). These devices were used to re-seal envelopes after Stasi had steamed them open and read them. This was the policy for ALL mail going to and coming from the west.


Stasi disguises. There were even fake noses! Our tour guide reminded us that Stasi informants would use disguises to collect information and ruin people's lives. Let me take this chance to put in a plug for the excellent movie "The Lives of Others." It's definitely a must-see.


My steak dinner at the apfelwein restaurant in Frankfurt. Apparently, apple wine is quite a speciality in the region. We got so tickled when one of our hosts told us to mix it 50-50 with sparkling water or else we'd find ourselves in the bathroom "doing number 2." I said, "I didn't know you had that expression in Germany." She said they don't but she learned it from a previous RIAS fellow from the states. HAHAHA!


Laure, me and Meera. Laure has a little boy who is just over a year old and his name is QUINN! We have laughed and chatted about how my brother has the same name and what an unusual name it is. Meera is from LA and is quite a sweetheart. This was at our dinner in the "ratskeller" where Goethe's Faust is set. One of our hosts told us a funny story about an expression in Germany that comes from Faust. In Faust, the devil secretly takes the form of a poodle and so, Germans say to get at the truth is to get at "the poodle's core." I don't know why but I find this expression very funny!! The next time you're searching for the truth, think about searching for "the poodle's core!!!"


This is me standing outside what's reputed to be the first coffeehouse in all of Germany. We stopped here for a light snack before one of our appointments in Leipzig.

Briefly...

I've got limited net access in Leipzig. Wonderful city and good times...more tomorrow or Thursday when we get back to Berlin!

Learning about the Taoiseach

Interesting notes from the trip so far:

*The Irish prime minister is also known as the Taoiseach. It's pronounced "tee-shuk" and we discovered this odd, interesting moniker at the European Union this past week. The Taoiseach was at a press conference that we got to attend and the EU prez kept saying this word that none of us knew...it sounded like "t-shirt" or "teacher" and so I googed it. Sho' nuff, the Irish PM is also called the Taoiseach. Who knew?

*My ears get seriously stopped up when riding on a train and passing through tunnels. Yuck! I discovered this last summer but forgot about it until we were on the train today.

*Italian food is good, no matter where you are in the world. Brussels, Belgium has excellent Italian food.

*Germans call dog doo on the sidewalk "land mines." I find this quite funny.

*Germans have what I call sausage balls but they call them something else that roughly translates to "sausage in a bathrobe." So, when I get back, I'll be making "sausage in a bathrobe"...yeah, somehow that doesn't sound too appetizing!

*You don't know how much you love plentiful tap water and ice in restaurants until you're in Europe.

*Soccer (or "football") is a big deal here. I just can't get excited about it.

I'm having a wonderful, fantastic time. We're in Frankfurt for only tonight and then it's off to Leipzig. I hear this city is quite nice. It will be my first time there. I'm enjoying being back in Frankfurt, even if it's just briefly. It's a nice city with lots of international influence. The trip isn't even halfway over. WOW!

Au Revoir, Brussels!

We're leaving Brussels this morning for Frankfurt, Germany. We'll be there one night. Then, it's off to Leipzig for two nights before heading back to Berlin. The end of the program is coming into view. We will all split up next Sunday. I'll be heading to Meerbusch, Germany to see my friends Rolf and Martina who I met last time I was here in 2003. I'll be there two nights before setting out to Ghent for two nights and will end my big trip with two nights in Paris. Thanks for following along!!

Shoot First. Sightsee Later.

The only reference I saw to the movie "In Brugge" was two movie posters at the restaurant where we had lunch. Having seen the movie, I recognized quite a lot around town, which was nice. It was a wonderful trip! Here are some photos and a short video from today.


Missy waiting for the boat tour to begin. A bookstore is in the background.

Missy on the main market square, just before lunch.

Missy in front of an elaborate church door. There are 21 churches in Brugge. Only 1 Protestant. The rest are Catholic.

Click here to see a new video. It's from our boat ride around Brugge. It's when we go under a bridge that's so low, we have to bend our heads down!


Brugge Booty for Zeke!

Finally! Progress! Photos and a video!

Thought you guys would enjoy the Belgian sense of humor about gas prices!

Missy and Mannequin Pis. (Yes, it's exactly what it sounds and looks like!)

Missy and her new friend Francis, who's also a francophile!

The RIAS girls...a fun and wild bunch!

Click here to see my video from Brussels.

Sorry to say that lots of work, early mornings and a slow internet connection have kept me away from blogging. Anyway, here's lots of fun stuff. We're off to Brugge tomorrow by train. I'm most excited! Ciao!

A Quick Note

I'm trying to get a short video from last night posted on the web...Will try again after dinner. I also have some photos to share. Today was a LONG day and it's time to eat. More later!!!

Off to Brussels

We're leaving this afternoon by plane for Brussels. I'm hopeful that I'll have good internet in our hotel there. Looking forward to having dinner with our group tonight in the Grand Plaz, one of my favorite places in Europe!

You'll Want to Watch This.

Brad Pwns AFI

Let's Compare

Animation: Brad's pick: Snow White; AFI: Snow White
Fantasy: Brad: Wizard of Oz; AFI: Wizard of Oz
Epic: Brad: Lawrence of Arabia; AFI: Lawrence of Arabia
Courtroom Drama: Brad To Kill a Mockingbird; AFI: To Kill a Mockingbird
Gangster: Brad: Godfather; AFI: Godfather
Romantic Comedy: Brad Annie Hal; AFI: City Lights, #2 Annie Hall
Sports: Brad: Rocky; AFI: Raging Bull, #2 Rocky
Sci-Fi: Brad Star Wars; AFI: 2001, #2 Star Wars
Western: Brad: The Searchers; AFI: The Searchers
Mystery: Brad: Vertigo; AFI: Vertigo

Brad Pwns AFI

Let's compare:

Animation: Brad's pick Snow White; #1 Snow White
Fantasy: Brad's pick Wizard of Oz; #1 Wizard of Oz
Sci-Fi: Brad's pick Star Wars; #1 2001, #2 Star Wars
Gangster: Brad's pick Godfather; #1 Godfather
Sports: Brad's pick Rocky; #1 Raging Bull, #2 Rocky
Mystery: Brad's pick Vertigo; #1 Vertigo
Western: Brad's pick The Searchers; #1 The Searches
Romantic Comedy: Brad's pick Annie Hall; #1 City Lights, #2 Annie Hall
Courtroom Drama: Brad's pick TKAMB or 12 Angry Men; #1 TKAMB, #2 12 Angry Men
Epic: Brad's Pick Lawrence of Arabia; #1 Lawrence of Arabia

Put that in your pipe.

Bed Time

So, it's bed time here. It's so weird to go to bed, knowing things are in full swing in the middle of the day back home.

We fly to Brussels tomorrow and will be there for several days. I'm looking forward to it!

The flip cam is not working. I put in fresh batteries and nothing. So, I don't know if videos will be possible. I believe our camera does videos so I may give that a go. It's too bad I couldn't do videos tonight. We had a fun time. Four of us went to KaDeWe, the big department store and then sat outside an Italian restaurant and had desserts. Lovely!

No new photos for now...maybe some when I blog in the morning.

Brad Loves Lists

So it's time once again for the American Film Institute to roll out its annual list of the top 10 something in American films. Last year they re-visited the top 100 of all time (Citizen Kane, Godfather, Casablanca top 3)..

This year, rather than pick a single theme and run down 100-1.. the AFI decided to break it down into the Top 10 in 10 different categories.

So just for kicks.. here's Brad's predictions:

Romantic Comedy - hmm.. a tough one because there are so many bad romantic comedies.. When Harry Met Sally is probably there.. Sleepless in Seattle too.. if I were a betting man, I'd put $10 on Annie Hall... It Happened One Night and Bringing Up Baby make it too.

Fantasy - A hard one to predict because AFI's criteria is pretty broad: Babe made the final ballot.. but so did Groundhog Day and Harry Potter and It's a Wonderful Life and Lord of the Rings and Wizard of Oz.. I'll take Dorothy 1, Gandolf 2 and George Bailey 3)

Animation - Snow White (it's been the only animated movie to get some AFI love in the top 100 - what can you argue that's better? I'd say Lion King, Nemo, Toy Story, Shrek make the list.. so do Beauty & the Beast, Pinocchio and Fantasia)

Sci-Fi - Star Wars (purists might go 2001 because it's less commercial.. but Matrix is probably top 3.. don't count out Alien )

Western - Boy I haven't seen enough Westerns to really make a knowledgable guess... but I'll say The Searchers, Unforgiven and Shane are all pretty high.

Gangster - Godfather (not even close.. Scarface is right in there..Goodfellas, The Departed, wouldn't be surprised if GFII makes #1. Bonnie & Clyde are there and I'd love to see Heat)

Sports - Rocky (not even close.. Natural and Field of Dreams make the top 10)

Courtroom Drama - I'll go 12 Angry Men or To Kill a Mockingbird (if that qualifies)

Mystery - Hard category.. maybe Vertigo.. then Rear Window.. North by Northwest

Epic - Lawrence of Arabia immediately comes to mind as an epic that doesn't make any other list here.. Gone with the Wind.. Saving Private Ryan.. Schindler's List and Titanic..

Check back here to see if I'm right.

A LONG Day

We had four appointments today around Berlin. We started with a breakfast meeting at 8AM and wrapped up with a tour of one of the public TV stations at 4:30PM. This might not sound too bad but consider our jet lag. And the fact that I woke up today at 4AM and did not go back to sleep. By 4:30PM, I was about ready to keel over. When we got back to the hotel, we had free time the rest of the evening. One of the gals in the group and I decided to just go around the corner for some Italian (we had Turkish food for lunch and my stomach was churning a little...between that and the stop-and-go bus ride around town, I was afraid to eat anything too weird for dinner). I felt better after dinner. We walked over to Checkpoint Charlie where I bought a CUTE shirt for Zeke. It says "You're now leaving the American Sector" in about 4 languages. Neat!



Here's a photo of me rolling tape while a member of the Berlin State Parliament spoke to our group at lunch today.

Tomorrow will not be quite so busy and our first appointment is not until 10AM. That means I can definitely catch up on my sleep. It's 9:15PM and it looks like it's about 6PM outside...The sun stays out quite late this time of year in Berlin...very nice to see but not condusive to sleep.

I will aim to do a video tomorrow for the blog. I'm going to take some of my colleagues to KaDeWe, the gigantic department store with its famous "food floor."

Have a great Monday!

Good Night from Berlin!

It's night time, at last! I will get to curl up in my cozy little bed and have a wonderful night's sleep. It's been a lovely day, perfect weather (a few sprinkles but the perfect temps). I hope to have a good night's sleep so I will feel good and ready to roll in the morning. We have a full day planned. Hope your weekend has been fantastic!

I'm here!!!!

I'm in front of the Brandenberg Gate.

The glass dome of the Reichstag is over my right shoulder.

In Postdamer Platz.

After traveling more than 15 hours, I've arrived...and on schedule to boot! I got here a while ago, showered and changed clothes and went with two other gals from our group for a walk around the tourist hot spots in Berlin: Potsdamer Platz and the Brandenberg Gate. I stopped for some crazy good coconut "eis" (ice cream). Yum! I've had my first Coke Light of the trip and am now enjoying the hotel's free WiFi. A few amusing observations:

*British Airways calls its in-flight magazine "High Life." Insert your own punch line. Yeah, I know...it's too easy!

*Heathrow Airport is the most convoluted airport in the world. Every time I thought I had finally "arrived," there was another security check, tram or bus to get on.

*I just can't do the math on pounds to dollars. It's hard enough to keep up with the abysmal euro/dollar exchange rate. So I bought a change purse in the airport with the Harrod's logo on it and for all I know, I paid $75 for it. Just jokes...I don't *think* it was that much...hahaha!

*If you're tired enough, you just don't give a rip how much turbulence you have as your plane lands.

The Cat's Away...

So Missy's off on her big trip.. that means Brad can get a lot done around the house.. YEAH!

(shhh.. for everyone who's wanted to see Zeke but hasn't yet, here's the only picture we can show)

Europa, Here I Come!

I leave in a few hours. Be sure to follow along because I'm taking the camera and flip cam (video camera) with me and will post to the blog. Thanks for your prayers for a safe trip!

Have a great weekend!

Document Obtained!

We got the requested document from our case manager. A big thanks to her for coming through for us so quickly!! I really was never worried about this. I contend this was much more happy news than worrisome news as it indicates our case is moving forward! I will wait and send the document tonight, when I know they are in the office. I don't want it to be part of the accumulated pile of emails they probably get every morning from the US when they arrive at work. Nothing like a little strategery, eh? Will let you know if we get any more news!

I've got to figure out the time difference between Berlin and Hanoi...it's easy for us to remember the time difference from home because we're exactly 12 hours behind (and Vietnam's time zone is the same as for Weed in Chaing Mai).

Document Request

We had an email waiting for us from Ho Chi Minh City this morning, asking us to send another document before they can approve our case. I think the document is something our agency can get easily. Ohhhh, I have my fingers crossed that this will be the case. I will call my case manager later this morning to discuss it. On the plus side, I'm excited to know that they are working on our case already! WOW! I thought our file might be just hanging around on someone's desk for a while...obviously not! Will keep you updated as I get news.

Still Riding High!

We're still riding high after this week's great news. Now, we wait. Again. Which is fine. I feel so much less anxiety about this wait than any other part. I'm hopeful that if we have to do DNA (and again, I think we will), they will let us know soon...like in the next week or so. I'll keep you posted.

I've done most of my packing for the trip. I'm very excited and eager to get over there. We got our final itinerary today and it looks fantastic! I will be posting loads of photos and dorky videos to the blog so you can enjoy these adventures right along with me.

Have a wonderful Thursday!

WE GOT OUR ACKNOWLEDGEMENT!!!!

We got the email this morning that we had been waiting for...they have our paperwork and *should* process our case in 60 working days. That means TRAVEL IS IN SIGHT!! THANK YOU LORD! PRAISE THE LORD! We've been so blessed on this journey. We really don't deserve it...we are full of thanksgiving!

So what happens now: Best case scenario? The next email we get says we're approved and we can travel to get Zeke! Worst case scenario? The next email tells us we have to have the DNA test done on the birth mother and baby. Because other families with our agency have already blazed the trail of DNA testing the past couple of weeks, we feel very good that we shouldn't have any problems getting this done if we must. The bottom line? We're very close to getting our baby! Pray that God continues to work this process to get this baby home ASAP! I still hope and pray we could travel in July. Wouldn't that be a miracle? This whole thing is a miracle and I'm so thankful to be a part of it.

About Hope

A quotation from "The Shawshank Redemption" (one of our favorite movies) came to mind today as I was reading the blogs of families in Vietnam right now, preparing to adopt their children:

"I find I'm so excited, I can barely sit still or hold a thought in my head. I think it's the excitement only a free man can feel, a free man at the start of a long journey whose conclusion is uncertain. I hope I can make it across the border. I hope to see my friend, and shake his hand. I hope the Pacific is as blue as it has been in my dreams. I hope."

Here's another one that I really like:

"Remember, hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies."

Just thinking about all the wonder that is just ahead on this journey for us fills me with excitement and hope...I hope...

Fun times this weekend

We had a wonderful time Saturday and Sunday in KC. We went shopping Saturday afternoon before the banquet. I bought this ADORABLE lion outfit for Zeke with a matching cap. Too cute! We also spent some time by the pool. Very nice! The only bad thing is that a loud voice woke us up quite early Sunday morning. There was a dog race in the Plaza and some guy was shouting out directions over a loud speaker. Since we had a lovely room on the side of the hotel facing the Plaza, we were blasted awake by this racket. Oh well.

Still no news from the Embassy. I'm trying so very hard to be patient...

A tiny bit of news

I found out yesterday that FOR SURE our documents have left the states. This is great to know and has eased my anxieties tremendously.

A slight correction: Brad said I misquoted him. It was actually "bread pieces" that he asked for the other night, not "pieces of bread."

Are you on Facebook? When I first signed up, I only did so because I was helping a student with a news story about the social networking site and we wanted to look around. But I've come to appreciate it as a way to connect with people from high school and Mizzou who I haven't heard from in a long time. Isn't that nice?

We woke up quite early (Clovis!) this morning. Brad made pancakes. We're packing now and will head to KC soon. Have a fantastic weekend!

Go Big Brown!!

Big Brown is a triple crown contender who will give it a go tomorrow at the Belmont Stakes. I was an infant the last time there was a triple crown winner so it would be quite historic (for me anyway!) to see Big Brown win. I'm a fair weather horse racing fan. I get into it when there's a triple crown contender. In past years, my heart was broken when Funny Cides and Barbaro failed to win the whole enchilada (and Barbaro's tragic end was especially sad). So, I'm really cheering for Big Brown!!!

In adoption news...I got some info from our agency that leads me to believe our I-600 and other docs may have gone over a bit later than I originally thought. It's fine. I'm just getting antsy because I'd like to KNOW (via email confirmation from USCIS) that everything is where it needs to be before I leave for Europe. So, that is the focus of my fast this week.

We're headed to KC tomorrow and I'm very, very excited! It will be a fun trip. I plan to do some shopping AND some lounging by the pool.

A few personal notes:
Mandy-I had a removable retainer for my upper teeth but I stopped wearing it after a year or so. My upper teeth haven't really shifted much or if they have, I haven't noticed it! I had the one bonded to my lower teeth from the beginning. I never had a removable one for my bottom teeth. That will be exciting for you to get those braces off!!! I remember being so happy when mine finally came off!

Crystal-Does the retainer on your top teeth ever bother you? I can't imagine what that would feel like...I guess you get used to it, huh? Little Buddy and Pierre Clovis are doing great! Now that I feed them "soft food," and only at regularly scheduled feeding times, they are quite vocal if I'm running late. Pierre starts doing laps on the bed at about 6AM and whining until I get up and put the food out. LB seems to be completely over his illness (thank goodness) and I'm hoping to take him for his regular check up at the vet next week.

Retainer

So, I've had this bar glued to the back of my front teeth since middle school or thereabouts. Last night, the bar broke. I had to go to the dentist this morning and have it pried off my teeth. Yikes! It actually didn't hurt but there was a lot o' pressure. My dentist is more than a regular dentist and does some orthodontist work so he's having a new bar made for me and will attach it next week. He thinks the bar is what has kept my teeth so straight all these years. Oh, what fun. I'm glad the thing broke BEFORE my trip overseas...can you imagine being in Europe or worse, in Vietnam with a new baby and having your retainer break? Yikes!

Please Join with Me

Please join with me in praying that we will soon get our acknowledgement email from the US government.

Pieces of Bread

Brad asked the waiter last night if he could have more "pieces of bread." He was referring to these little muffins they serve. I thought that was quite cute and blog-worthy. Still no news from the Embassy. I'm trying not to worry since our agency has someone who actually hand delivers these documents to Ho Chi Minh City. Still, it would be nice to get that email confirming they have them.

We are headed to KC this weekend (yes, Laura...we'll eat a piece of cheesecake for you and Greg!). I had a story on NPR this morning. Click here to listen to it.

I leave a week from Saturday...WOW!!! I'm packing Sunday night. That will be interesting!!

Hey, Embassy...C'mon!

Still no confirmation email yet which means the clock hasn't started on our wait for approval. I have to pull myself away from the computer at night because I know the good folks in Vietnam start their work day at 8PM my time...so I keep checking my email at night to see if there's any news. You can laugh...I have no life! HAHAHAHA!

We are going to KC this weekend for an awards banquet. It will be loads of fun and I should have some time to lounge by the pool. SWEET!

A big ol' group of families from our agency is heading to Vietnam this week to get their babies. YAY! I wish them safe and glorious travels at this very exciting time! And I confess that as I read their blogs, I'm imagining what it will be like for US when we get to travel. Brad noted today that we're hoping to travel in August or September and it's already JUNE. The time is going by quickly. I hope the families will get to see all the babies who are still waiting and can pick up Zeke and give him a big hug and kiss for us. But I don't think they will actually get to see the waiting babies. Oh well. We haven't gotten any new photos of Zeke for quite a while and I'm really hoping to get some soon from our agency...maybe before I leave for Europe?

Hope your week is going well!!

Learning about Zeke

Last Tuesday, we received a packet of papers that went with our I-600 to Vietnam. Included in there was a copy of his birth certificate, other official documents necessary to prove he's an orphan and a letter and photo of his birth mother. We were moved to tears as we looked at her for the first time and read the letter she wrote when she relinquished custody of her baby. She simply asks for a "better life" for her son. It's an emotional thing to get these documents and read through them. We're so thankful to have them and will share them with Zeke as he grows up so he will know his life story.

We expect to get the email confirmation from the Embassy this week saying they have our I-600 application. We will keep you posted.

We did not get out of town yesterday. At the time we planned to leave, it was raining. So, we decided to stay in town, eat out at our favorite nice restuarant and finish the evening with "A Midsummer Night's Dream" performed in one of the city parks by a talented group of actors (the rain had mercifully pushed out of the area by then). A friend of ours is artistic director and one of my students from the radio station is in it. We felt we needed to support them but that aside, we had a wonderful time and it really was an excellent production. So, this was enough to help me "get out of my head" a bit and not dwell so much on the remaining steps of the adoption. It's exhausting to think and pray about it all the time. That's one reason I'm so thankful for my Euro trip. It's been a great thing to distract me and something exciting to look forward to.

Hope you had a lovely weekend!!

A Sweet Escape

Oh...my head almost hurts from pondering the adoption and all the steps still ahead (mainly the DNA testing and ID requirement). I've decided I need to get out of my head a little bit and breathe...I call it the need for a "sweet escape." Don't get me wrong. Europe will be a big, sweet escape but it will be a busy, wonderful time...and by then, we should have our email acknowledgement and will KNOW what we're facing with the DNA stuff (right now, we don't know if the birth mother has the proper ID or not). In the meantime, I'm thinking A LOT about getting that acknowledgement and having to do the DNA test. So, Brad and I are hoping to make a quick trip to Eureka Springs tomorrow afternoon/evening. Just being down there will help me relax. I love that place. It's so cool with all the little shops and Ermilio's, one of our favorite restaurants. On the positive side, another PAP (Prospective Adoptive Parent) emailed me to say that even with all the madness, we've only got 8-12 more weeks of "couples only" time before we travel. If all goes well (and oh, we pray it does), she's right! That's almost hard to believe!!! Thank you for your continued prayers, especially for the US people processing our paperwork and for the birth mother.

DNA Memo

The US government finally put out an official release yesterday about the DNA requirement. From reading the memo, it appears we will have to have the testing done. I'm going to call our case manager today and see if we can find out NOW if our baby's birth mother has that ID card that's going to be required before she can do the test. If we can get that issue resolved, it appears the tests are moving right along. My hope all along has been that the DNA test would actually speed up the process of bringing Zeke home. That is still my prayer.

We have not received our confirmation email yet from the Embassy. It's not surprising that it didn't come this week and I expect to get it sometime next week.

It's cold!

Yes, it's nearly June and it's warm outside but it's FREEZING in our office. Brrr. They tell me the "steam" will be back on later this week but in the meantime, we huddle in the studios in coats. Not fun.

The reality of my upcoming trip is setting in. Two weeks from Saturday is when I leave! YAY!

I'm really hopeful that we get our confirmation email from the Embassy this week or next week at the latest. Will keep you posted on that.

Waiting...

So, here we are. We're waiting for the US folks in Vietnam to send us an email confirming they got our I-600 and other docs. We can't officially start counting until we get that email. So, it's like the wait before the wait.

And even after that confirmation email, we'll be waiting to hear whether our baby and his birth mother will have to do the DNA test. At this point, we just don't know. I'm preparing my heart for the very real possibility that they will.

Further complicating the DNA test requirement is this: The US has now decided that coming in for the test isn't good enough. The birth mother has to also produce a specific kind of identification, something that many people in Vietnam don't have. So, the DNA test becomes a bit more complicated when you consider the ID requirement. I'm grateful to know from others that our agency is working very hard on resolving this issue...but what other hoops/hurdles will the US create for families trying to bring home children who have spent the first months of their lives in orphanages? I'm beyond getting upset about all this. It is what it is and we'll do whatever we have to do to bring this baby home. Please just pray for us and the other families who are waiting as we try to navigate these murky waters. And pray for the birth families who are being asked to do all these things. And of course, pray for the children who continue on in the orphanage, waiting for their forever family to come get them...

Ants. Why did it have to be ants?

If you've seen the new Indiana Jones movie, you know what I'm talking about! We went to see it Friday night and had a fun time. It's not as good as the first three (did anyone expect it to be?) but it's still a good popcorn film. I enjoyed it a lot. In fact, we're going to the drive-in tonight to see it again!

Last night, we watched Notes on a Scandal on DVD, a quality British drama in which Dame Judi Dench proves why some old women are CREEPY.

Finally, a bit of a primer on what happens next with the adoption. The next thing is getting an email confirmation from the US folks in Vietnam, confirming they have our paperwork. Then, they're supposed to process our case in 60 business days or less. We hope and pray that it's less! We're waiting for the US to issue us an approval. Once that happens, we can travel! We should find out fairly quickly if we will have to have the birth mother and baby do a DNA test. There's a group of families going through the testing process now and they are the first group with our agency to do it so we're obviously watching very closely and wish them all the best as they get the test done. It's everyone's prayer that once the DNA tests are done, approval (and travel) will come quickly!

In the next couple of weeks, we will get copies of the documents Vietnam prepared for our I-600. This includes the first photo taken of our precious Zeke when he entered the orphanage and a photo of his birth mother. Obviously, we are very eager to get this information to help us better understand our baby's life story. In the meantime, I've printed off the travel guide from our agency and started pouring through it. When I get back from Europe, I'll need to find a pediatrician for our baby so we won't have that to worry about when we get home with Zeke. We still have lots of baby items to buy. We re-registered at Target. (Our first registry expired...we put expected arrival date as January 20 but obviously, that didn't pan out...so our new one has Zeke's actual birthday!) So, lots of exciting things going on!...Oh yes, and I leave for Europe in less than 3 weeks!!!

Earthquake and Cyclone

We haven't yet blogged about the devestating earthquake in China but that doesn't mean our hearts haven't felt deeply moved for the victims. They've been in our thoughts and prayers since it happened. If you're interested in helping with the recovery effort, our China adoption agency recommends contributing through Half the Sky. Our hearts also break for the people of Myanmar who have been impacted by the cyclone. How awful that militants have blocked aid workers and supplies from getting into the country. We pray for these people as well...

Christian Singer's Daughter Killed in Accident

Steven Curtis Chapman has three daughters who were adopted from China as well as biological children. He and his family are huge advocates of international adoption. There was news this morning of this. We are praying for this family during this very difficult time...can't even imagine what they're going through...

So much peace and anticipation

Well, here we are. Waiting now for the USCIS folks to email us and say they received our paperwork. That probably won't happen until the first week of June. Then, we officially start counting the 60 business days. Approval could come before that and that is my prayer. It's an exciting time as we wait to see what God is doing to bring this adoption through to completion!

What else am I anticipating? How about leaving three weeks from Saturday for my big trip!!!! WOW!! What an exciting time that will be! Can't wait to be headed to Europe...I want to look back at my life years from now and say, "Boy, did I ever soak up all those wonderful experiences I was blessed to have!"

We're also anticipating the opening of the new INDIANA JONES movie this week!!! WHOO-HOO!!!! What's your favorite line from the Indy movies?!?! My top 5:

5. What is this Tanis? (government guy)
4. The search for the Grail is the search for the divine in all of us. But if you want facts, Indy, I've none to give you. At my age, I'm prepared to take a few things on faith. (Marcus Brody)
3. You call him Dr. Jones, doll! (Short Round)
2. Ah, Venice. (Indy)
1. You lost today kid, but you don't have to like it. (Fedora Guy)

The Zeke Vigil

I know you are all praying for our approval to come quickly...we are so thankful for that! Would you consider joining me as I fast every week from Thursday at 8PM to Friday at 3PM? I will even do this while I'm in Germany. Every time I think about being hungry, I turn my thoughts to Zeke and pray for God to let us travel soon. I believe so strongly in the power of prayer and I think that fasting helps focus our attention on the concerns of our heart and shows God how committed we are to lifting up our prayer requests. My hope and prayer? That we could travel in July. Given the track record of the timing of approvals, this seems quite ambitious but it's not unheard of. God is sovereign over this process and is bigger than any piece of paper, process or bureaucrat. Let us focus on praying that we get to travel in July.

I-600 FILED!!!!

PRAISE THE LORD! Our I-600 and related docs should arrive on our case manager's doorstep tomorrow morning. Then, they're off to Vietnam. This is THE big step we were waiting to take. We're so thankful we've made it this far.

What does this mean? Basically, Vietnam has said, "Yep. He's yours as far as we're concerned." Now, it's up to the US government to agree and say, "Yep. He's yours." Then, we can go get him! So, we're in the final waiting stage. We don't officially get to start counting until we get a confirmation email from USCIS saying they received our I-600. I expect to get that in a couple of weeks. Supposedly, they will process our case in 60 working days. We don't yet know if we'll have to do the DNA test on the baby and birth mother. Will keep you posted on that, of course. A very, very interesting side note. In a couple of weeks, we will be getting copies of all the info on our case that Vietnam compiled. It will include the "referral photo" of our baby, which (I think) will show him when he first entered the orphanage. There will also be info on the birth mother, including a photo. Obviously, we want to know everything we can about our baby and his birth family so we're very eager to get this information.

A call to prayer: I have been praying about this part of the process since BEFORE we were matched to a baby, praying that God would prepare the heart(s) of whoever would handle our case on the US side. Please join me in praying that God will absolutely BLOW OUR MINDS with how smoothly and quickly we get our approval. I believe in miracles. I'm praying for one now.

No news...

Still waiting *patiently* on news that we can file our I-600. I really hope it happens this week. I'm out of town for work tomorrow through Friday. I'd really like to get the email from our case manager tomorrow before I leave. It will happen when it happens. *sigh*

Four weeks from this Saturday, I'll be headed to Europa. Very exciting! I'm already deciding what to pack. Since we have a flight from Germany to Brussels and that's considered a domestic flight (hey, it's all in the EU), I have to pack light. Considering I'm going to be over there for 3 weeks, that will be tough. We'll be in Berlin long enough in the beginning to get to do some laundry...still, I'm not going to lie to you, it will be tough. I've also got to consider how well I can get myself and my luggage on and off trains when I'm traveling by myself. Only take what you can carry easily up and down steps on the trains. I'm giving myself ample time to catch trains at each stop so that will make things a bit less stressful. Ahhhhh, I can't wait!

Non-Moms?!?!

So, the Today Show did some kind of Mother's Day special, sponsored by Teleflora. They apparently had different categories: Working Moms, Military Moms, Single Moms, oh yes...and the Non-Moms. The "Non-Moms" category included mothers of adopted children. So, how exactly does that make you a non-mom? All the moms of adopted kids I've met would say they are moms, nothing more and nothing less than moms with biological children. You can bet many adoptive parents sent the Today Show angry emails. It didn't take them long to change the category from Non-Moms to Adopting Moms and they posted this explanation on their website:

"Teleflora is immediately changing the name of our "Non-Mom" category to "Adopting Moms". After closer examination, we can see how this may have been offensive to moms who have adopted children -- moms who are indeed real moms to their children in every sense of the word. In fact, many of us at Teleflora are “adopting” parents ourselves, including our president and owner. The essence of this category still focuses on a grandparent, neighbor, step mom, or mom to adopted or foster children, each one raising and loving a child. This show of insensitivity on our part was in no way intended and we deeply apologize for any concern or distress we may have caused. It was always our intent to salute and celebrate all moms."

Idiots!

Run, Forest, Run

We ran a 5k today. Brad beat me, but not by much. He confesses to being a little worried when the race started because I took off at a really nice clip. Fueled by my desire to do well and the cool new song from Speed Racer, I finished 8th in my age group. Not too shabby!

I think we must surely be getting close to filing our I-600. Once we do, we will be in the final wait stage before travel. It's hard to believe, isn't it?!?! Supposedly, it will "only" take 60 business days for the US government to approve our I-600 though they routinely take longer. My prayer is that our approval will come BEFORE we even hit the 60 business day mark. Wouldn't that be a miracle?!?!

Plans are set...what to do now?

My plans are set. Two nights in Ghent (Belgium) and two nights in Paris. I may take the train to Bruges from Ghent...I think it's only 20 minutes away. After seeing the movie "In Bruges," I don't think I can pass it up. What to do in Paris? There's more than enough to keep me entertained just wandering around different arrondissement (neighborhoods) and enjoying whatever shops and cafes I find. That's basically what I did last summer. The only tourist thing I wanted to do was visit the Sacre Coeur, which I did and which I loved! I will definitely go back! It's one of the most beautiful churches I've ever seen. On the other hand, there's some cool out of town stuff to do too. From a young age, I've been fascinated with Versailles. Brad and I visited the palace when we went for our honeymoon. It was magical! Many of you know I read the book Abundance about Marie Antoinette last year while in France...heck, I was sitting the Tuileries, reading about the Tuileries...does it get any better than that?!?! And I flirted with the idea of going back to Versailles but did not. So, I'm debating it this time...And I found this: A bike tour to Versailles!! Check it out:

After we meet at our Paris office, we'll take the train out to Versailles, where our first stop is the village market for your baguette, cheese, ham, wine, and whatever else you desire for our picnic later in the Chateau's gardens. We'll also visit the Chateau, Marie Antoinette's hamlet, the Petit and Grand Trianons, and more!

Sounds amazing, huh?!?! You get a bike and time to just roam around the grounds. Plus, when Brad and I visited, we didn't get out to the hamlet or the Trianons. So, this would be something new.

Another option? Visit Mont St Michel. It's a village built on a tall island! Click the link if you're not familiar with it and check it out. Very cool. But it's an all day deal. So is the trip to Versailles. And that's why I ended up NOT doing any of these day trips last year. I couldn't bring myself to leave Paris for an entire day. Oh well. I'm still mulling over my options. Some of my friends who are world travelers highly recommend Mont St Michel so I'll keep that in mind...

Ahhh, what fun...to dream of far away places and things...

I'm trying to be as patient as I can be while waiting to file our I-600. We could get the "go" anyday now. It's really hard to wait. Once we file, we'll be in the pre-travel wait. Very exciting. I'm eager to get this filing behind us!!

Finalizing plans

Well, I had to nix Dublin. Turns out the Marriott there required points AND cash...a rather large sum of cash to boot. Ugg. I decided to look at doing something a little less complicated. I love Brussels and will be spending several days there during the official program so I donn't want to go back on my free time. BUT, I've never been to Ghent. It's a Belgian town that looks amazing! So, it will be 2 nights in Ghent and 2-3 nights in Paris. I'm very, very pleased with this plan.

On a different note, we saw Iron Man this weekend. It rocked! It's every bit as good as the reviews suggest. We'd even like to see it again!

Float my boat

Here are the things I'm digging lately:

*WARM WEATHER!
*Getting ready for Zeke!
*Planning my Europa trip. (I think it's going to be Dublin and Paris!!)
*A mad craving for more Zeke pics.
*Lars and the Real Girl on DVD
*Summer Popcorn Flicks
*Flip Flops (Paint yo nails!)
*Running (again!)
*Anything locally owned, grown or made. Handicrafts rule!
*Aerobics tunes like "What's your name?"
*Coke Light (like I could find some stateside)
*Future love between Kate and Jack on "Lost"
*Super duper double crosses on "Survivor"

And last but not least...this clip from Arrested Development, one of my new/old favorite shows!

New Tracks

Today is the birthday of Brad's brother Travis. Happy Birthday, Trav! The Story Corps interview I heard on my way to work this morning was very appropriate for Trav's birthday. A woman, Carly Dreher interviewed her 90-year-old grandfather, Lyle Link. Click here for more and to listen to the interview. My favorite part:

Asked if he has any regrets, Link says, "No, lived a wonderful life.
"I think when we got married, we made all new tracks and we never stepped in any old tracks. I want you to do the same thing," he tells Dreher. "Live with courage."

Isn't that wonderful? I hope you spend your weekend making new tracks and living with courage. And Trav...you and Melissa have always made new tracks...here's to another year of beautiful discoveries and new adventures! Happy Birthday!

I need your help!

Please help me decide where I should go during my "leisure travel" at the end of my German trip. I'm basing my final choices on places where I can use my Marriott points for a "free" hotel...We are doing two international adoptions after all and I've got to contain the costs! Here's my list...Leave a comment and vote for what you think I should do! Merci! Danke! Gracias!

Option 1: Paris all the way, July 1-5

Option 2: Paris for 2 nights, the French Riviera for 2 nights, back to Paris for 1 night before my flight home

Option 3: Vienna (never been!) all the way, July 1-6

Option 4: Dublin (never been!), July 1-5

Option 5: Prague (never been!), July 1-5

Bud's getting better

It's been a rough week for Little Bud but he's getting better. He's keeping his food down and a bit of his old spark is back. He still seems quite tired. I'm sure as he eats and drinks more, he'll build up his energy.

This weekend will be packed. We're going to a baseball game Friday night. Saturday, Brad's performing with the rest of the Seussical cast at a local festival. I will enjoy milling around there until he's done. Then, we're going to see Iron Man Saturday night. Brad's really excited about seeing this movie. He had to drag me to the theatre to see the first X-Men movie but as it turned out, I really liked it a lot. So, I'm much more open to comic book films than I was several years ago.

We saw I Am Legend on DVD this past weekend. Brad saw it in the theatre when we were in Tennessee for Christmas...I did not. It was ok. It's hard not to like Will Smith but the film itself wasn't great. Maybe it was more impressive on the big screen?

Kitty Kare

Here's my (Missy's) take on the kitty issues. Little Buddy is doing ok. We are trying to get him to eat some different food and take some meds. I'm hopeful this will help but I can definitely tell that he's under the weather. As for Pierre Clovis? Well, I don't know what possessed him to scratch off his fur where I had applied his flea treatment. So, when I came home yesterday, there were wads of black kitty fur all over the house and he had this ugly bald spot at the base of his neck. Needless to say, we're calling him "Baldy" for now. Otherwise, he seems fine.

When it rains, it pours. You may have read yesterday or today that Vietnam has said that it will shut down adoptions to the US come September 1. Our case is already in progress so we will get to complete our adoption but my heart aches for families who will not get matched to a child and will miss the deadline.

Cat Care 101

Little Buddy's got some urinary issues.

And Pierre Clovis got himself a bald spot trying to get flea treatment off his back.

Mother's Day Came Early

Brad gave me my Mother's Day gift Friday afternoon...an iPod Nano!!! I can't wait to play with my new toy. It's really cool. Of course, the first thing will be uploading all my Zeke photos. But Brad tells me I'll be able to put music AND movies on there. It will be so sweet for my trip to Germany this summer and on the flight over to Vietnam (not so useful on the flight back when we have the baby). I've had a Shuffle since my China trip in 2005. I love that thing. It's my constant companion when I run...speaking of running.

A big ole shout out to Brad's brother Trav and his wife Melissa! They ran their first half marathon last weekend!!! They both had great time! I hope to run another half marathon before we go get the baby. My knee is better but finding time to train is always difficult. In case you forgot, my sister ran a half marathon late last year. So, now that Trav, Melissa, Wendy and I have all run half marathons, Brad is feeling the pressure. He's always been a bigger runner than me so I'm sure he won't have any problems.

Vietnam Adoption in the News

If you haven't seen it, click here. I would say that the article "buys" the US government perspective too easily. Knowing what we know about adoptions from Vietnam, it's our understanding that the vast majority of adoptions are on the up and up. And I feel confident that our agency is working with legitimate people in country. Our agency STAYED in Vietnam when the adoption program shut down several years ago and continued to do humanitarian work there. Virtually no other agency did this.

No prospective adoptive parent (PAP) I've ever encountered would want to knowingly be a part of anything illegal. In the rare cases where PAPs couldn't complete an adoption because a birth family changed its mind about a child after the US did its investigation, the PAPs wished those children and their birth families all the best while grieving their own loss.

So, what does this article mean to us? Well, there's nothing there we haven't heard for months now. We are so incredibly blessed to have a baby who is in a province where there are no reports of problems with illegal activity. Also, the concerns in the article focus on abandoned babies. (And just because a baby is abandoned does not mean there was anything illegal going on.) Our baby was relinquished by his birth parents. We will have documents outlining who they are (we even get a photo of them!) and why they gave up custody of their baby. Even BEFORE we got a referral, we prayed for our baby's birth parents. We continue to pray for them as they've made an impossibly difficult decision. We have a profound respect for our child's birth parents and they will always be an important part of our child's life story.

I say all that to tell you this: Our case continues to be fine. PRAISE THE LORD! We've had no problems with our case. In fact, we hope and expect to take our next big step in the next few weeks. That will put us in the final waiting stage before we travel. We'll be waiting at that point for US approval. I have also been praying that God would prepare the hearts of the US officials who will handle our case...that they would be open to giving us a quick approval, at least an on time approval (within 60 working days).

We've had good news this week. Several people we know in our online adoption community are in Vietnam right now, getting their babies from the same orphanage where Zeke is. Another gal got an approval for her baby who is in Zeke's orphanage. We also learned this week that we probably won't have to do the DNA test before we can get our approval.

I can't even adequately articulate how much we have felt God's presence in every step of this journey. He has made clear to us this path. If I told you all the confirming circumstances and signposts from God, you might think I was making some of it up because it's just too incredible and amazing!! But it's true! From working out the finances of this adoption when they seemed absolutely impossible to giving us little "winks" along the way (remember the names in our Sunday School classroom?!?!). From overwhelmingly positive reactions from family members to answered prayers throughout this process. It's a path strewn with love.

Our youth director prayed this past Sunday night that I'd be able to relax and enjoy this waiting time. With the good news we've gotten this week (no DNA testing, the expectation of filing our I-600 soon, and approvals for other babies in Zekes orphanage), I have a new peace and more joy and anticipation than ever before!

(Thanks for reading this LONG post!)

525,600 minutes

Yesterday was our 1 year LID anniversary for China. Can you believe that?!?! It doesn't seem possible that the time has gone by so quickly. So, 1 year down, how many more to go? Who knows...

Capital Travels

After today, I will only have to make one more trip to the capital city this legislative session. This makes me very happy. I've had to make far fewer trips this year than in past years. This also makes me very happy. It's been a long, slow session this year and everyone, including the lawmakers are ready for it to end.

I'm hopeful that by the next time I come up here, in about three weeks, we will have filed our I-600. That may be a little optimistic but we'll see!

Miracles

Adoption is a miracle. I've said it before: I'm in awe of this process. I'm also in awe of the power of prayer. Thank you for praying over this adoption with us.

Our church has a prayer shawl ministry. Women who work in the ministry make shawls for new moms and blankets for babies. A woman who adopted a child years ago made my shawl and Zeke's blanket. She chose to make them using beautiful green yarn, the perfect color for the nursery and my favorite color. She gave them to us shortly after we got matched to our baby. As she knitted, she prayed for us and the baby. Before we got the blanket and shawl, they had been draped over the alter in the church, blessed by the pastors and the congregation prayed over them. What an amazing ministry.

On a lighter note...
What do you think? Should I resist the urge to buy Zeke some stuffed animals? I've already bought him some, of course. I LOVE the soft beanie babies. I stumbled upon a huge selection of cheap BBs at one of the local Hallmarks today. They had all kinds and sizes but I like the mid-sized ones that are extra soft. I didn't buy any but I think I'm going back tomorrow and will buy a couple.

I have all his toys and stuff animals (we don't have THAT much stuff yet) set out in the nursery. I've got the bedding set up. I've got all his blankets (and my shawl) draped across the crib. I go in there, touch his things, pray for him and imagine what it will be like to have him in his room at last. *sigh* I pray that it's soon!!

Tunes, prayers and other random thoughts

I discovered a new tune while in Vegas. It's "Work That" by Mary J. Blige. Fun times. It played on a loop outside the big mall on the strip known as "Fashion Show."

Last night, I was at church to help with the youth group like I normally do on Sunday nights. (Brad was at rehearsal for Seussical the Musical. It's his last theatrical endeavor before the baby arrives. I couldn't audition because the production takes place during my Europe trip.) I had out my "brag book" full of baby photos. Our youth director, Julie put it in the middle of the table, had all the youth leaders put their hands on it and she prayed over Zeke and the entire process. I just cried because it was so moving and well, I just needed that...to hear someone else pray in such earnest over our baby and the adoption process. It meant a lot.

We watched a good movie over the weekend on DVD: Jindabyne. It's an Australian film that delves into the issue of loss. It's appropriately slow and quite sad and Gabriel Byrne and Laura Linney turn in excellent performances. (I don't know why but I just dig Gabriel Byrne's acting skillz.)

We're going wild with anticipation over the big movies coming out soon:
*Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (at last!)
*Iron Man
*Prince Caspian (the next Chronicle of Naria turned into cinematic goodness)
*Dark Knight (Christian Bale as Batman...does it get any better than this?)

iWeekend

Is it really Friday? Seems like the week went by quickly...could be because of the Vegas trip.

(By the way...yes, Brad really did pay $14 for gelato in Vegas...you know, gelato is one of those things that usually isn't THAT expensive, so we didn't ask about the price when we ordered...that's what you get for buying gelato at Cesar's Palace.)

It was such a treat to see our friends Jen (aka NerdyMom) and Randy in Vegas...We shared photos of Zeke with them and got to see new pics of their beautiful kids. What fun!

Brad and I are smitten. We really love the iTouch from Apple. I'm the first to admit. I'm not an Apple fan because as a journalist working in radio, I exclusively use PCs but wow, the iTouch is cool. Jen had hers in Vegas (or was yours an iPhone?)...it makes my "crackberry" look like an abacus.

Have a wonderful weekend!!

Baby milestones

Zeke turns 6 months old tomorrow. Happy half birthday, baby! Dear Lord, please let us bring him home soon!

Next Wednesday marks the one year anniversary of our LID (log-in-date) for China. Has it already been a year? We received news from our agency recently that once China matches babies for families that were logged in March, 2006, the process will speed up, or at least stabilize. What does that mean for us? Possibly that we would go to China in late 2010 instead of 2012 (my current prediction). But who knows. I continue to keep my dreams about Lily tucked away in my heart until her arrival is closer.

Thank you, as always for sharing this journey with us. Your support keeps us going.

Brad stars in "Thriller"

Las Vegas Pictures

Hilights from the 2008 Adventure in the desert:

One of those days

I don't know what it is but today is one of those days when I feel especially emotional about the adoption. Normally, I'm really good about keeping my feelings in check, not getting worked up. But today, as I skimmed some blogs of families who have gotten back from Vietnam with their babies, the ache in my heart reached a new peak. I just want to hold our precious baby. I'm not in a heap of tears but the pain of the wait is particularly heavy...

Brad comes home today!

Brad comes home today from Vegas. I will be glad to have him back. I never sleep well when I'm home alone.

No baby news...again, at this point, no news is good news. Now, come mid-May, I will be hoping everyday for the call from our case manager saying that it's time to file our I-600. This will put us into the last waiting phase. It also will reveal what's in store for us as the new DNA requirement is implemented. We continue to pray that this process will actually speed things up for us and enable us to bring the baby home sooner than expected!