Just hangin' out

Not much going on here. I had a little bout with allergies, but I'm better now. I'm going to try to go on an organizing spree this weeked and get my office cleaned out and packed up. The desk is going to stay, but I'm going to move all my professional books, notebooks, and textbooks to my work office. I also should go ahead and get a dresser so I can unclutter all the stuff that my sister has given me. (I promise I'll take a picture before I start! It's good for a gasp or a giggle!)

Not much on the adoption front. Things are slowly moving along, I guess. Besides lots of reading, I attended a Lifebook class this week and am going to an attachment seminar next month. C. is still super-excited and I think she is learning as much as I am. I purchased a DVD about families in Vietnam and she watched it this week. My sister says C. is now teaching the rest of the families all about Vietnamese culture. They had rice this week and C. announced that "little boys and girls in Vietnam eat lots of rice and noodles. Even for breakfast sometimes!" As she is learning about diversity, she now goes up to the asian children in school and asks about their heritage. She's going to be a great cousin!

One

One month down...somewhere between 9 and 60 months to go. I'm keeping busy during the wait. I went back up to Austin last weekend to help my sister out as she prepares to move to a new house. I took my nieces to a Lunar New Year celebration at the Austin Asian-American Center. We all had a blast! It wasn't as big as the celebration in San Antonio, but they got to sit up front and see everything up close. J enjoyed the lion/dragon dance, and the performers showed the kids how the eyes and mouths work. C. enjoyed all the little girls dancing (korean, chinese, and japanese) and did the hand motions as she watched them perform. She went home and practiced then. Too cute for a 5-year-old!

My sister continues to give me hand-me-downs for the baby. I think I'm set from 3T on! I have two full under the bed storage containers and another 8 bags of clothes. What am I going to do with it all? My mother volunteered to store some if I need her to. Love you Mom! I'm going to try to clear out the closet so I can hang some of the smaller sizes to get them out of the way.

Oh yeah! Thanks for letting me express my frustrations below. Feeling better now!

Walking on Sunshine

It was a beautiful day today. Great weather, sun shining, blue sky. I was going to clean and organize today, but around noon I thought it was so beautiful that I wanted to drive to San Marcos to check out the Pottery Barn Outlet and a few other outlet stores. I'd be back by three and have plenty of time to clean and organize. I get to the Pottery Barn Outlet and there's a big sale. 25% off everything in the store! Furniture an additional 30% off! PB Teen and Pottery Barn Kids an additional 20% off! Wow! When I moved to NYC I got rid of all my furniture so when I moved to San Antonio I had no furniture. The last thing I needed to get was a head board/foot board and I really wanted a wrought iron bed. I've been looking for the past year, but couldn't find anything in my price range. Well I found it today! Head board and foot board for $220! It weighs a ton as I could have killed myself when it fell on me when I was putting it together. (I'll add putting furniture together in the reasons to find a boyfriend in San Antonio column) Unfortunately, I have to take the headboard apart as my bed frame does not allow for a foot board. Oh well! I guess another $50 for an new bed frame isn't too bad.

And the story continues...S0 I purchase the bed and other items (pictures on another day) and went to load them. Since it was on sale- there are no refunds. And of course, the head board doesn't fit in my car. I try calling my sister and there is no answer. Frustrated, I call to talk to my parents to see if they have any ideas. My father offers to drive down from Fort Worth to help me! I have great parents! Luckily, my sister calls me back and offers to help, but she has an appointment and isn't available until 6:30. So I walk around the mall for 4 hours. Luckily, it was a nice day and all worked out. Except I got no cleaning nor organizing done. I guess that's next weekend!

Sunshine Day!

Okay, not really sunshine, but it was a good day. First, it was the first day in three days that I was able to get into my car by using the front door. For the past two days, my front doors have been iced shut so I've had to get in my car through the back door. Good thing I'm not a reality show! I'm sure I looked quite silly! The second reason for the good day? It was referral day at my agency. Any day where there is a referral at my agency is a good day. Even better if I get to move up on the list since it was a little girl! Congrats Andy and Tara! Whoo-hoo! What a day!

DTV!!!!!

Whoopieeee!!! My dossier has been reviewed by my agency and is on its way to Vietnam! Whew! Now I can relax and wait. I'm up in Austin at my sister's so I told my niece, C. She's so excited that she asked me if we would french kiss to celebrate! I could feel the shock set in my face as my jaw dropped! She's only 5!!! Just as quickly as she asked she leaned in and kissed my left cheek and then my right cheek! Whew!

Feeling better

I had a few rough days at work. Today was good though. It's funny how when I've had a long day I come home and write negative themed blogs, even about adoption. I wrote two entries earlier this week about agency ethics that I posted but later took down. Maybe one day I'll repost them, but for now they were a means to get out some of the feelings I have about comments that have been made to me.

But back to today. It's not adoption related, but it was a productive day. I led two meetings that accomplished a lot. I also ran into an acquaintance that worked with while I was in college. Before I write about the interaction I should tell you that I moved to San Antonio about a year and a half ago and I didn't know anyone here. We were both waiting for the elevator and when I got a good look at him I pretty much blurted out "I know you!" Then a long pause while I tried to place him..."You're S!" He replied "Yes" (obviously he didn't recognize me). I told him that we worked at Camp John Marc together and I saw the light bulb go off in his head. This was followed by the nonchalant stare to my breast where we have to wear our name badges. Small talk followed during the elevator ride.

So Long 2006! It's been a blast!

I thought I'd spent a few minutes typing some of the thoughts I've had on the last day of 2006 and to the future of 2007. I started this year with a bit of confusion. I had a career, lived in interesting places, and finished my graduate degree. I had set all of these goals for myself while I was in college. I did it! But where do I go from here? I wasn't sure what I wanted to do next. Over the summer, I was working on the implementation of a big project. While I may have been delirious from a lack of sleep, I was sitting in the stairwell at work, taking a mental break, and thought about a family. I had been prepping my family for about five years that if I'm not married, eventually I will think about being a single mom. I was mostly met with support by friends, but my family always said, "Don't give up! Wait! You're still young!" I thought about it for a few days, and realized the time was right. I'm still young, but old enough that I've established myself and had a chance to do the things I wanted to do. I told my sister first, and was met with wonderful support from her and my BIL. I bridged the topic with my mother and father, which took a week or so, but they are fully on board.

This decision has kept me pretty busy for the latter half of the year, but it brings excitement and happiness to my life. Will 2007 be the year I meet my daughter? I'd like to think so, but with referrals being so sporadic and few with my agency, I'm keeping my doubts so I'm not disappointed. So for me, 2007 will bring preparation, enjoyment of the time I have as a "non-mother," and more great times spent with family and friends. If I'm lucky, a child around the end of the year.

To each of you, I wish you health, happiness, and wonderful days. For those waiting, patience and joyous introductions to your new sons and daughters. See you in 2007!