I am out of town this week with my little G-man visiting relatives and so many things to report (with pictures) when I get back home tomorrow, but I couldn't wait to share:
OUR DOSSIER LANDED IN AFRICA AT 9:20 A.M. TODAY!!!!
Let the wait begin!!!
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Dossier Doozy
**Edited on Saturday: The sweet little package of papers landed at our agency on Friday morning and should be in the process of being copied, looked over and then shipped to Africa!
Really? Really? Our dossier still isn't complete. And oh, yeah. It was lost for two days. Uh-huh. Really.
We sent our dossier to our courier of choice two weeks ago & it was received within less than 24 hours. Typically, it would have been returned to our agency within 3-5 days. But there was a little issue with one document. After 24 hours of frantic worrying, we got it solved. And so we thought our dossier would have been back by LAST Friday or at least this Monday.
Since I wasn't able to track the return shipping on-line yesterday, I called our courier to check in and see what the status might be. I got a return phone call today (Wednesday) saying that everything is okay....NOW.
Apparently our courier took our documents in on Monday morning and left them with the Embassy to be picked up yesterday (Tuesday). When they went into DC to get them yesterday, they were told the dossier had already been picked up by someone else.
SOMEONE ELSE? There is NO ONE else.
So, for about 24 hours some other human being has had our dossier (and everything ever known or written about our lives). OUR courier was able to track this person down and get the dossier back. Whew!
Or so we thought.....
Apparently, when the wrong courier picked up the documents he didn't check them. The dossier wasn't stamped correctly and will need to be taken BACK to the Embassy to be re-done. Really? Really?
Our courier assures me he will take our dossier to the Embassy first thing in the morning, wait for them to be done CORRECTLY (given the Embassy doesn't close suddenly which they have been known to do) and ship them to our agency in the afternoon.
While I would like to breathe a sigh of relief, I'm holding my breath. I am frustrated. But, I am not throwing a hissy fit or crying. I merely shrugged my shoulders just now and thought to myself, "Oh well. It'll all get done. Sometime."
The timing all happens for a reason....
Really? Really? Our dossier still isn't complete. And oh, yeah. It was lost for two days. Uh-huh. Really.
We sent our dossier to our courier of choice two weeks ago & it was received within less than 24 hours. Typically, it would have been returned to our agency within 3-5 days. But there was a little issue with one document. After 24 hours of frantic worrying, we got it solved. And so we thought our dossier would have been back by LAST Friday or at least this Monday.
Since I wasn't able to track the return shipping on-line yesterday, I called our courier to check in and see what the status might be. I got a return phone call today (Wednesday) saying that everything is okay....NOW.
Apparently our courier took our documents in on Monday morning and left them with the Embassy to be picked up yesterday (Tuesday). When they went into DC to get them yesterday, they were told the dossier had already been picked up by someone else.
SOMEONE ELSE? There is NO ONE else.
So, for about 24 hours some other human being has had our dossier (and everything ever known or written about our lives). OUR courier was able to track this person down and get the dossier back. Whew!
Or so we thought.....
Apparently, when the wrong courier picked up the documents he didn't check them. The dossier wasn't stamped correctly and will need to be taken BACK to the Embassy to be re-done. Really? Really?
Our courier assures me he will take our dossier to the Embassy first thing in the morning, wait for them to be done CORRECTLY (given the Embassy doesn't close suddenly which they have been known to do) and ship them to our agency in the afternoon.
While I would like to breathe a sigh of relief, I'm holding my breath. I am frustrated. But, I am not throwing a hissy fit or crying. I merely shrugged my shoulders just now and thought to myself, "Oh well. It'll all get done. Sometime."
The timing all happens for a reason....
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Accountable Kids - Love It!
This is the newest addition to our home (proudly decorated by the one and only G-man):
We call it the "Chore Chart" but it is really called the "Accountable Kids" program. I have been looking for a system for Garrett that would encompass a few daily responsibilities (get dressed, brush teeth, make bed - a list so to speak) as well as a positive reinforcement system that I could keep up with and some sort of calendar/daily activities (ie: music day, dr's appointment, church). While this system has SO much more to offer, we are only using a few bits and pieces that are age appropriate and let me just tell you, it is AWESOME!!
Garrett has three sets of chores (they are color coded for morning, mid-day, night) that are followed my earning a "ticket" to be used for a in-home reward (computer time, special toys, etc) and at the end of each day, if he has done all of his chores without losing all of his "obedience cards" (there are 3 per day) then he earns a star sticker....which will eventually earn him a special treat of his choice (pre-picked out .... last time it was a new bicycle basket, this time a water sprinkler toy).
Garrett TOTALLY digs this system and it has allowed for less stress and more consistency in behavior, daily productivity, etc on both his part AND mine. We are not strict about doing this - Garrett usually reminds US it's time to check the chart! We have tweaked the system and renamed several items but it really has worked for almost a month now. I highly recommend it to anyone! It is teaching Garrett so much and he is so very proud of his independence!
We call it the "Chore Chart" but it is really called the "Accountable Kids" program. I have been looking for a system for Garrett that would encompass a few daily responsibilities (get dressed, brush teeth, make bed - a list so to speak) as well as a positive reinforcement system that I could keep up with and some sort of calendar/daily activities (ie: music day, dr's appointment, church). While this system has SO much more to offer, we are only using a few bits and pieces that are age appropriate and let me just tell you, it is AWESOME!!
Garrett has three sets of chores (they are color coded for morning, mid-day, night) that are followed my earning a "ticket" to be used for a in-home reward (computer time, special toys, etc) and at the end of each day, if he has done all of his chores without losing all of his "obedience cards" (there are 3 per day) then he earns a star sticker....which will eventually earn him a special treat of his choice (pre-picked out .... last time it was a new bicycle basket, this time a water sprinkler toy).
Garrett TOTALLY digs this system and it has allowed for less stress and more consistency in behavior, daily productivity, etc on both his part AND mine. We are not strict about doing this - Garrett usually reminds US it's time to check the chart! We have tweaked the system and renamed several items but it really has worked for almost a month now. I highly recommend it to anyone! It is teaching Garrett so much and he is so very proud of his independence!
Thursday, June 5, 2008
A few extras & Pictures Please....
1. The shirts have now been organized (thanks so much, Heather)and are ready for delivery over the next 3-4 days (or next week during playdates)! We have a few extra, so if you didn't get your order in, here is what we have available until we place the next one mid-June:
Be(love)d Red Shirt:
1 Kids's Size 6 (=4T)
1 Adult's Medium
Grey Africa with Script Shirt:
1 Adult Medium
Be(love)d Red Shirt:
1 Kids's Size 6 (=4T)
1 Adult's Medium
Grey Africa with Script Shirt:
1 Adult Medium
2 Adult Large
Olive Green Fingerprint Shirt:
1 Adult Large
2. Please be sure to send us a picture of you or your cutie kids wearing their shirts! We want to include them in our adoption journey scrapbook AND/OR post them here!
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
THE SHIRTS ARE HERE!!!
Apparently I really need a new hobby because it just became obvious to me that mine is (soon to be was) being able to detect the sounds of mail/delivery trucks....just now I was in our dining room working at the table and heard what I thought to be the sounds of a delivery truck stopping. Now keep in mind, there were no loud squeals or anything, just the gentle hum and whir of a truck stopping. How pitiful I knew those sounds!
Anyway, just wanted to let everyone know, the sounds WERE the sounds of our friendly UPS man delivering the first batch of shirts! So, if you placed your order prior to May 24th, your shirt(s) are here! I will be sorting them tonight and e-mail you to let you know when/where I'll be making deliveries.
Anyway, just wanted to let everyone know, the sounds WERE the sounds of our friendly UPS man delivering the first batch of shirts! So, if you placed your order prior to May 24th, your shirt(s) are here! I will be sorting them tonight and e-mail you to let you know when/where I'll be making deliveries.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Crisis Averted
Last night before going to bed I checked my e-mails and found one from the courier handling our dossier in D.C.; she stated there were two glitches in our dossier and the only logical solution for fixing them would entail re-doing the paperwork (not so big of a deal) and then driving it all back down to Austin to be re-certified & shipped back to D.C. (big deal). I went to bed fuming and frustrated.
When I woke up this morning, I had a new, patient attitude (certainly not stemming from my own will or strength) and thought that I would do it all again with a smile on my face. After sharing chocolate cupcakes with my little man for breakfast (okay, we don't really EVER do this but I thought the situation deemed it necessary), we loaded up in the car to make the trek across DFW to get the documents and then head back down to Austin.
While in the car retrieving my other saving grace I thought I might just want to call the courier and verify that I completely understood everything she needed. While we were talking she had the brilliant idea for me to skip all the driving and just scan in the originals from our picture book (the document missing) as the country we are adopting from does NOT need it notarized or certified (our case worker was correct in her decision) - just present. And, while there are more details to the story, I will spare you!
In the end, it all ended up okay and I received a very gentle reminder that the adoption process is never what you expect. Just because you don't have a baby growing inside you doesn't mean that it won't be easy. You just have different issues to worry about or handle.
So, while this crisis has been averted, I know there WILL be another one along the way, and I will do my best not to panic right away next time!
When I woke up this morning, I had a new, patient attitude (certainly not stemming from my own will or strength) and thought that I would do it all again with a smile on my face. After sharing chocolate cupcakes with my little man for breakfast (okay, we don't really EVER do this but I thought the situation deemed it necessary), we loaded up in the car to make the trek across DFW to get the documents and then head back down to Austin.
While in the car retrieving my other saving grace I thought I might just want to call the courier and verify that I completely understood everything she needed. While we were talking she had the brilliant idea for me to skip all the driving and just scan in the originals from our picture book (the document missing) as the country we are adopting from does NOT need it notarized or certified (our case worker was correct in her decision) - just present. And, while there are more details to the story, I will spare you!
In the end, it all ended up okay and I received a very gentle reminder that the adoption process is never what you expect. Just because you don't have a baby growing inside you doesn't mean that it won't be easy. You just have different issues to worry about or handle.
So, while this crisis has been averted, I know there WILL be another one along the way, and I will do my best not to panic right away next time!
Monday, June 2, 2008
Splashing Around & Soaking It Up
Today Garrett and I met our friends Sammy and his momma, Heather, at a somewhat local water-fountain splash park. It was so much fun! Garrett had a blast running, screaming, jumping and splashing all morning! And I enjoyed watching him and catching up with my friend.
As I watched the water fountain park area filling up with toddlers and preschoolers, it suddenly hit me that Garrett was one of the oldest kids there. Soon Garrett will be "school age" and we won't be in this oh-so-fun, leisurely stage of meeting friends at the water parks and bumming around. I realized how quickly time flies. It seems like just yesterday he was the youngest baby, unable to walk, at a park.
I wish I could freeze time, make it all stand still. But because I can't, I am going to soak up every moment to treasure in my heart.
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