12 months

Our LID anniversary came and went without much fanfare. Rather than Black Friday shopping, we opted to sit at an open air bar overlooking the smooth, clear Gulf up in the panhandle and watch the birds dive for fish while we downed our own seafood and 'ritas.

The realization hit me that even if our wait for a match extends to say 18 months...Kayla is born. She is either a newborn with her parents who are making the hardest decision I can imagine. Or, she is in an orphanage, or possibly foster care, hopefully getting the best care they can provide. Regardless, she is.

I wish she were here.

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Updated: Hehehehe...read the first comment and you'll see what I corrected. And for the record I was not having a 'rita at the time of posting. I've just got Mommy-to-be brain!!!

Out of the comfort zone

Saturday night the First Coast Families with Children from China (FCC)organized a "Waiting Families" dinner. We try to attend the monthly FCC waiting family meetings which usually have a speaker or panel of some sort covering an adoption, China, or adoption-from-China topic . That's the kind of forum I typically like. You know, the ones where I can just sort of sit back, blend in, glean some information, and be on my merry, if somewhat introverted, way. So, you can see why heading into a group dinner where we only have "the adoption thing" in common with the others (a little LOST humor there...ahhh TV land) was pulling me out of my comfort zone.

As it turns out, "the adoption thing" is a huge thing to have in common. We had a blast, met some great people, and most importantly got to whine and complain (and listen to others whine and complain) about this wait. Check out Alyson & Ford's blog to see pictures of everyone stuffing their faces. Yummy! (How about this for a funny link to the past...their son-in-laws father gave me drum lessons back in my hometown many moons ago. I think I got that linkage right.)

I really do hope to forge some friendships in this group, both for the support aspect for me and Bobby and the future benefit it will provide Kayla to know the daughters and sons of other families formed through China adoption.

Here's to learning to grow the zone.

Lost Girls of China


This is an excerpt from the National Geographic documentary Lost Girls of China. I highly recommend watching the full movie if you have a chance.

I destroyed a forest

I've taken out another forest in re-doing the paperwork once again. I'm exaggerating of course. Just stinks to have to redo paperwork and send it off one more time to the USCIS (don't forget it includes another whopping big fee to our govt for their troubles) for no good reason except our represenatives couldn't get off the campaign trail long enough to pass a bill to automatically renew the paperwork for waiting families like us.

Yeah, I'm bitter.

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On the rumor front, nothing really. Most families logged in through 8-25-05 were matched. Kudos to all the families that received referrals last week! I'm enjoying seeing all the babies. Those chubby cheeks really help me keep this whole long-long-long wait in perspective.

That means our wait remains in the undefined zone. Will it speedup or will it continue to slow down? That's just about all I think about these days.

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By the way, don't even think about telling me to just relax! Patience from third parties will no longer be tolerated. I'm into my fourth trimester and I'm getting a little ensy teensy bit testy. Just ask Bobby (smile).

On the other hand, words of empathy are much appreciated, such as...

this wait just bites (don't I know it!)

sorry the gov't is full of ____ and their rules are _______ (a little Mad lib for you).

do you want me to hang on to you as you approach the edge of insanity? (how kind of you to offer)

you look FABULOUS at 11 months paper preggers, barely any weight gain at all (awww! Thanks)