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?