Well this is the week we should receive travel approval so keep your fingers crossed. At this point we still do not have the girls room ready but the bed selection should be finalized in the next week and I have an idea on the comforters I'd like to get for the girls room.
I have the clothes, books, backpack all ready for S for Adam to take to China. I'd still like to find a small stuffed animal that would scrunch up and travel well.
It's been wonderful not having anything planned the last few weekends. J had the neighbor girls over for a play date on Sunday afternoon. Adam took her for her chickenbox vaccination booster last Saturday and that is how the previous weekends have gone-nice and relaxing. First grade starts in two weeks and she will be riding on the school bus. I will miss having her in the car with me every day.
We have two families from our agency who are leaving for China on August 21st. I am going to send a disposable camera, photo book and hairclips for S. I look forward to following their journeys. Their children are also at the Nanjing SWI. Due to the restrictions from the H1N1 virus they will be unable to go to the orphanage and actually see S.
The next time I post it will be to announce we have travel approval!!
going to head outside now to watch the meteor shower!
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Friday, July 31, 2009
Finally
Our Article 5 is appoved....this means that all of our documents have been approved and sent to the CCAA...now we are just waiting for travel approval and this should happen in about 2 weeks with travel a few weeks later.
It's been a crazy two weeks with J having play practice every night. I will be so happy when August is here. We are doing NOTHING except spend time at home. Any invitations or events will be declined. We had way too many obligations in June and July and need this down time.
We also need this time to get the house ready...now its crunch time and this weekend we need to find a bookcase and get the hallway cleaned up and finished. Hopefully the girls bedroom will be complete in a few weeks.
It's been a crazy two weeks with J having play practice every night. I will be so happy when August is here. We are doing NOTHING except spend time at home. Any invitations or events will be declined. We had way too many obligations in June and July and need this down time.
We also need this time to get the house ready...now its crunch time and this weekend we need to find a bookcase and get the hallway cleaned up and finished. Hopefully the girls bedroom will be complete in a few weeks.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Queen Mab
J is in summer drama camp-they will be performing Romeo and Juliet and she is to be Queen Mab...we are supposed to find info on Queen Mab and her carriage..J loves drama camp and Dramatic Impact. This will be her 4th play with Ms. Candace and J adores her. It's so much fun for her, exhausting for us as practice is every night from 6-7.
Girls weekend was fun and no one was too unruly and no one was hungover....I guess this is something that comes with age-to drink responsibly! It was great to be on the water even though the ferry ride over was wooley and wild!
We are slowly getting ready for S's arrival. I just need a few weekends home with nothing to do. J's b-day and festivities are this weekend so no luck there.
woke up yesterday feeling pretty yuck...thought maybe it was allergies...no..it's more..achey, sore throat, headache, no energy. I need to keep away from everyone so no one is sick this weekend.
Girls weekend was fun and no one was too unruly and no one was hungover....I guess this is something that comes with age-to drink responsibly! It was great to be on the water even though the ferry ride over was wooley and wild!
We are slowly getting ready for S's arrival. I just need a few weekends home with nothing to do. J's b-day and festivities are this weekend so no luck there.
woke up yesterday feeling pretty yuck...thought maybe it was allergies...no..it's more..achey, sore throat, headache, no energy. I need to keep away from everyone so no one is sick this weekend.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Big weekend ahead
Well for me at least. I am headed up to Put-in-Bay for a weekend with 7 friends for an early birthday celebration. Four of the friends are former co-workers from the Dayton/Cincy area, one is my niece and very good friend and two current co-workers/friends. No way does it seem like it could already be 10 years since I celebrated my last big birthday with the former co-workers and niece.
Birthday plans for J are coming along. She has another b-day party to attend on her actual birthday but then we will go to the zoo and she can ride the rides. We'll continue the celebration on Sunday the 26th.
My niece Alyssa is moving into her first apt (non-college) this weekend..seems like she was just 6 herself. She has a job teaching music at a middle school in Springfield and will also be assisting the high school music director.
Justin is headed up to Toledo area to sail in Highlander Nationals with his dad Bruce. They sail the nationals race together every year and won the title two years ago. Bruce's dad was a big Highlander sailer and won the championship 5x. Jill is going along with Justin this time and will be taking care of a baby of fellow sailers plus I'm sure she will spend some time with Bruce and Debbie's girls. Sailing is such a great family sport and I'm glad that Justin has continued with his racing.
It's looking like Adam will be traveling in the next month. We still don't have travel approval but all things continue to point in that direction. We have been trying to figure out the best plan-where to stay, what flights, getting from Shanghai airport to the train station to catch the train to Nanjing-getting from the Nanjing train station to the hotel, arranging guides, etc. When we adopted in 2004 this was all taken care of so it's a bit nerve wracking. We continue to hope that he will travel with the two other families who are adopting children from the same orphanage but it may not happen. We are utlizing every resource we have to find out information and trying to decide what to do. Also just feeling totally stressed from everything-work is very busy for both of us and the weekends have been nuts. With the exception of one event on August 7th we are not doing ANYTHING in August...in other words, unless there is a death we are in seclusion!!! I imagine we'll keep a low profile the first few months after his return with S. J is registered for soccer and will do her chinese classes but otherwise we will keep activities to a minimum and may resurface by Halloween!!
Birthday plans for J are coming along. She has another b-day party to attend on her actual birthday but then we will go to the zoo and she can ride the rides. We'll continue the celebration on Sunday the 26th.
My niece Alyssa is moving into her first apt (non-college) this weekend..seems like she was just 6 herself. She has a job teaching music at a middle school in Springfield and will also be assisting the high school music director.
Justin is headed up to Toledo area to sail in Highlander Nationals with his dad Bruce. They sail the nationals race together every year and won the title two years ago. Bruce's dad was a big Highlander sailer and won the championship 5x. Jill is going along with Justin this time and will be taking care of a baby of fellow sailers plus I'm sure she will spend some time with Bruce and Debbie's girls. Sailing is such a great family sport and I'm glad that Justin has continued with his racing.
It's looking like Adam will be traveling in the next month. We still don't have travel approval but all things continue to point in that direction. We have been trying to figure out the best plan-where to stay, what flights, getting from Shanghai airport to the train station to catch the train to Nanjing-getting from the Nanjing train station to the hotel, arranging guides, etc. When we adopted in 2004 this was all taken care of so it's a bit nerve wracking. We continue to hope that he will travel with the two other families who are adopting children from the same orphanage but it may not happen. We are utlizing every resource we have to find out information and trying to decide what to do. Also just feeling totally stressed from everything-work is very busy for both of us and the weekends have been nuts. With the exception of one event on August 7th we are not doing ANYTHING in August...in other words, unless there is a death we are in seclusion!!! I imagine we'll keep a low profile the first few months after his return with S. J is registered for soccer and will do her chinese classes but otherwise we will keep activities to a minimum and may resurface by Halloween!!
Monday, July 6, 2009
4th of July come and gone
I remember when I was younger and the 4th of July meant that my best friend Tina was going to have her birthday and mine would be 6 weeks behind...boy, I sure hated that she was older than me! Well, Tina turned 50 this past weekend as did another good friend Julia...how did we get to be 50 already? And in just 6 weeks it will hit me and here I am adding to my family. Tina told me that she went to grandparents day for her 10 year old nieces and saw someone we went to high school with who was there for his grandchildren!!! While I do want grandkids in the near future I certainly would not want to have any that are in the 4th grade!!
We had a relaxing 4th of July weekend-relaxing meaning that we did not have to do TOO much...we did manage to make it to a parade and fireworks on the actual 4th. J loved the fireworks and I love her enthusiasm towards the celebration.
J's 6th b-day is coming up in a few weeks and we made the decision over the weekend that she could have a party at the local pottery studio. So we picked out the cake and invitations-High School Musical of course, and the party will be small but she'll be happy. She only wants HSM "stuff"...which leaves buying gifts wide open.
We should be receiving travel approval in a few weeks and we still are sitting on our rear ends doing nothing. I think we both thrive on the thrill of getting things done at the last minute. It's how my job functions and it has carried over into my personal life.
A busy week-getting ready for the second garage sale this weekend and will end with a pool party on Sunday.
We had a relaxing 4th of July weekend-relaxing meaning that we did not have to do TOO much...we did manage to make it to a parade and fireworks on the actual 4th. J loved the fireworks and I love her enthusiasm towards the celebration.
J's 6th b-day is coming up in a few weeks and we made the decision over the weekend that she could have a party at the local pottery studio. So we picked out the cake and invitations-High School Musical of course, and the party will be small but she'll be happy. She only wants HSM "stuff"...which leaves buying gifts wide open.
We should be receiving travel approval in a few weeks and we still are sitting on our rear ends doing nothing. I think we both thrive on the thrill of getting things done at the last minute. It's how my job functions and it has carried over into my personal life.
A busy week-getting ready for the second garage sale this weekend and will end with a pool party on Sunday.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Another week gone by
Here it is already the end of June...this past week flew by and nothing was accomplished on the homefront.
J is going to be gone for four days...she will have a great time but mom and dad will miss her. So wise for her age...she told me that she wants to spend 4 nights away and she knows it is a long time but she doesn't get to see her cousin Emma very often..Emma and family live in Bethesda, MD and are visiting my sister near Toledo.
I have two very good friends who will have their 50th birthdays next week...I am just six weeks behind. Wow...seems like we were just in college and dancing to Michael Jackson's Off the Wall at frat parties..most people over 60 or younger than 25 don't seem to understand the effect his music had on my generation in the 70's and 80's.....I was just showing J the Thriller dance on you tube a few months ago and listened to the Thriller cassette!
J is going to be gone for four days...she will have a great time but mom and dad will miss her. So wise for her age...she told me that she wants to spend 4 nights away and she knows it is a long time but she doesn't get to see her cousin Emma very often..Emma and family live in Bethesda, MD and are visiting my sister near Toledo.
I have two very good friends who will have their 50th birthdays next week...I am just six weeks behind. Wow...seems like we were just in college and dancing to Michael Jackson's Off the Wall at frat parties..most people over 60 or younger than 25 don't seem to understand the effect his music had on my generation in the 70's and 80's.....I was just showing J the Thriller dance on you tube a few months ago and listened to the Thriller cassette!
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
We're still here
I am horrible with keeping up a blog...I was never good at keeping a diary when I was young so I should not be too surprised. Life continues to be moving along...the summer is flying by and we haven't been swimming one time...just too much going on..still waiting for things to slow down.
We had our garage sale last week and made $425. We are having a second garage sale with the items that did not sell and with other items on July 11th-this time it will be at my mother in laws-she lives in a neighborhood...people just don't want to pay any money in the country...the prices were marked so low it was ridiculous.
JB and JB's wedding plans are moving along and they are also having a house built in Grove City-just south of the city of Columbus. It is an hour drive for me and is also an hour drive from her family.
Little J is enjoying her summer daycare program-they keep the kids so busy and go on field trips 2-3 times a week. Last week they took tours of Crew Stadium (where the soccer team plays) and to Nationwide Arena. This week they went to Build a Bear. We are going up to southern Michigan for my great nephew's graduation party and she will stay at my sisters for a few days to spend time with her cousin E from Bethesda, MD.
We received approval on our I800 which means we are now waiting for travel approval. We estmate that TA (travel approval) will come at the end of July and Adam could potentially travel in August. However there is a travel advisory until 9/30/09 to China due to the H1N1 virus and we have been advised that we may be given the option to travel after the advisory. Not sure what we will do at this time. I am happy to wait as I don't want to have to worry that Adam is stuck in a nasty quarantine hospital b/c someone who sat next to him on the plane has the flu. Plus the weather would be much nicer in October!
Happy summer to all.
We had our garage sale last week and made $425. We are having a second garage sale with the items that did not sell and with other items on July 11th-this time it will be at my mother in laws-she lives in a neighborhood...people just don't want to pay any money in the country...the prices were marked so low it was ridiculous.
JB and JB's wedding plans are moving along and they are also having a house built in Grove City-just south of the city of Columbus. It is an hour drive for me and is also an hour drive from her family.
Little J is enjoying her summer daycare program-they keep the kids so busy and go on field trips 2-3 times a week. Last week they took tours of Crew Stadium (where the soccer team plays) and to Nationwide Arena. This week they went to Build a Bear. We are going up to southern Michigan for my great nephew's graduation party and she will stay at my sisters for a few days to spend time with her cousin E from Bethesda, MD.
We received approval on our I800 which means we are now waiting for travel approval. We estmate that TA (travel approval) will come at the end of July and Adam could potentially travel in August. However there is a travel advisory until 9/30/09 to China due to the H1N1 virus and we have been advised that we may be given the option to travel after the advisory. Not sure what we will do at this time. I am happy to wait as I don't want to have to worry that Adam is stuck in a nasty quarantine hospital b/c someone who sat next to him on the plane has the flu. Plus the weather would be much nicer in October!
Happy summer to all.
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