By the hair of my chinny-chin-chin!

We got lucky! Last week I emailed my credit union asking if they had access to brand new money, no creases, no wrinkles, no tears and the big heads :). My credit union let me know that it wouldn't be a problem to order. Fast forward to yesterday, I received an email stating, "You were right, it is a lot harder than we thought to get such perfect money." But.................I think we got lucky here. Come to find out the federal reserve only takes requests like this a couple times a year, and fortunately for me, November 5th-9th is one of those times. Yahooooo! So, for all of you waiting families that need 'perfect money,' I would strongly advise you talk w/ your local credit union (or bank) and get your money ordered before next week. :)

Just a friendly tip!

A Girl Cousin Too??

Last night I spoke with my brother and sister-in-law and it sounds like we may be getting our first little girl cousin come next May!!!!! So far, my daughter will have 4 boy cousins to rough around & dig up worms with, and now she may have a little girl cousin to play in the dirt with too! :) Yahoooo!

Aunt Becky Deserves a Blizzard

Another wimpy Simon took one for the team! Aunt Becky went to the clinic today and had all 4 immunizations done at one time too! What a big girl! hehehe Yeah Aunt Becky! The nurse even gave her stickers for my daughter's baby book, what a fun idea! I guess this means that I now owe my sister a Blizzard from Dairy Queen..........that was her idea of course. :) Again, we must really love this little girl!

No Soft Bedding

Well, I am reading my Consumer Reports Best Baby Products book, like a good mommy, and found these two tips interesting:

"The safest crib is one that has a firm mattress, a snug-fitting mattress pad, and a fitted crib sheet-and nothing else; no puffy bumper guards, no stuffed animals, no pillows, no quilts. Experts have long recognized the suffocation risk inherent in such soft crib bedding. If you insist on a blanket, keep it at waist height, and tuck the ends firmly under the sides and bottom of the mattress. There should be no loose blankets where the baby sleeps."

"If you can place more than two fingers between the mattress and the crib frame, the fit isn't snug enough."

4 Shots in One Arm??

Okay, so I must say that I am proud of my mom! We agree that she must really love this little girl across the ocean, for 1, she is flying over the ocean for her first time to meet this little peanut, and for 2, she just had 4 shots in her arm yesterday (and we despise shots!) Now I must ask, why in the world would a nurse give someone 4 shots in one arm? Are they retarded? My heavens, her poor arm was probably aching!! Needless to say, she took sleep medicine last night to help her be able to even sleep on her arm. :) What we all do for love!

Traveling To Select

Now that I know my region, I have been asked many times if I have a referral of my little girl, did I get pictures of her & how old is she? Honestly, all that I know is that she is in Aqtobe & she will be 6-15 months old when I meet her. I will be what you call, 'traveling to select,' also known as 'traveling blind' thus I do not get a referral before I travel. This is a really hard one to explain to my friends, family and those random people that I encounter running adoption related errands. You see, Kazakhstan does not recognize referrals, so even if your agency will give a referral, that child could be adopted to another family prior to you arriving in Kaz. Needless to say that was a fear of mine, and to be quite honest, traveling to select is also a fear of mine. I am riding on faith here. When I do travel, I am told that I will get to meet 2 or 3 little girls that hopefully match what I am looking for, but I do not meet them all at one time, I will meet with them one on one. It is not that I walk into the orphanage of 100 children and start selecting from all 100 which is what I believe many people wonder about. Many of the children at the orphanage (baby house) are not available for adoption, so the director will introduce me to a couple available babies that are little girls from 6-15 months. I will play with them, review medical records, learn about their personalities and their story, etc. I am told that it is common to 'just know' once you meet your child, and I am desperately hoping that is the case for me.

I must be honest and say that I have true fears about traveling without knowing who my child is in advance, in fact, I have now had 2 dreams in the past week about this. Last night, I dreamt that there were many families all together on a school bus, we were all being taken to the same baby house to adopt, and we were all traveling to select. I remember being so afraid that I would have to compete for the perfect child, whatever perfect is I am not sure, but that was my fear in the bus. The bus ended up passing the baby house and continued on a couple blocks from the entrance, so once the bus stopped, we all poured out and started running as fast as we could. It was so stressful, we all had the same fear. We each wanted to be the first one into the baby house so we could adopt the best child.

Luckily this will not be the case, and luckily there are many ideals on what the 'best child' for each family is; I will not travel with other families & I will not be 'competing' for any child. I will be shown one child at a time and I will make the best decision based on my life currently as a single mom, the baby's overall health and our chemistry as a little family unit.

Just One

If we could all just adopt one, there wouldn't be any children without families. It just isn't fair that these babies have grown up without a mom and dad, without the true love of someone to care for their little lives.

Health

Whether you give birth to a child, or adopt one there are no guarantees on health.

My Timeline

Here it is, my timeline thus far: (I don't post for comparison reasons only to give an idea, it seemed that each time I was told to expect a couple weeks more than it actually took, so I really haven't been disappointed with time frames yet.)

Sent out my application to LMI = March 3rd (My 31st Birthday)

Freaked out a bit and wasted a couple weeks before sending out my contract to LMI.

Sent out my contract to LMI = April 6th (Good Friday)

Sent out my I-600A = April 12th

Home Study Agency sent out my Home Study to USCIS = June 14th

I-171H = July 26th

Dossier Sent to LMI = July 31st

Dossier Approved & Sent to Translation = August 3rd

Out of Translation & off to the Consulate = September 4th

My Dossier in Kaz = September 20th

My Region is Aqtobe = October 4th

Was informed that my travel time could be 4-8 weeks = October 8th

Today = October 18, 2007 - No LOI (Letter of Invitation Yet:)

Great Idea

Eileen & Patrick posted a comment on my blog today that I loved, Eileen mentioned that Emerson Hope Simon was a great name, the middle name 'Hope' named after my daughter's baby house Ymit - meaning Hope. I love that idea! I will keep it in my brain as I travel.

I also found the middle name 'Alia' to be beautiful, Alia means 'Chosen One' in Kazak. :) How about Zahri Alia Simon? The 'a' sounds like an 'o' in Zahri, and the 'i' at the end sounds like a long 'e.'

Eating Breakfast Right Now

My daughter is probably eating her morning breakfast right now in this concrete building called, Ymit. :) And I, her tired mommy, am getting ready for bed. What a crazy realization!

Home Recipe for Pedialyte

This is a great idea; this is the home recipe for Pedialyte (used to counteract dehydration): One level teaspoon of sugar, a pinch of salt in 8 ounces (1 Cup) of water. Pack a few ounces of sugar, and salt, carry a teaspoon and a measuring cup. (Yep, mine are now packed and labeled.) If your baby becomes dehydrated, this mixture will be a lifesaver. :)

This recipe was in my 'Travel Book' sent to me by my agency, LMI. :)

What I have to Look Forward To :)

So here is an email that I received from my sister last night, and I smile just reading it, the life of a mom, Izaak (the middle child) is so empathetic, just read:

You know how Izaak was at the clinic three weeks ago and I missed work because he couldn't breathe? And then two weeks ago Eli was at the clinic because he couldn't poop so I missed work for that? Ty came home from school early today because his stomach hurt. Dan came home early for him. Tonight he threw up ALL OVER Eli's new bathroom. And I mean literally all over. He didn't have time to get the toilet lid open and it was projectile, so all over the toilet, the floor and the vanity. Dan cleaned that one up because Izaak was sobbing and so was Eli. Eli was just overtired, but throwing up absolutely sends Izaak into a tailspin. He walked around the rest of the night with his fingers in his ears. UGH.

I just love those boys!

Money Order vs. Cashier's Check

Did you know that you can go to Cub Foods (if you have one near you) and get a money order for .50 cents? My bank actually gave me the tip; my bank actually charges $7 for a Cashier's Check and $5 for a Money Order. For those who are like me, and never get money orders / cashier's check, and didn't realize the cost varied so much, do shop around! :)

Hit the Hay

Okay, a couple things before I hit the hay. I agree, I need to check w/ my agency to ask about the 'sharp knife' I was told to pack and the sauce pan that might send off red flags. I will let you know what I find. :) Who knows, maybe they don't sell knifes in Kaz? hehehe - I don't know, I am just being a good follower. Second, to answer Sandi's question on how in the world will I fit all of this in one carry-on and one checked bag?? Um, yep, you are / were right (as she told me that she is bringing 2 carry-ons and 2 checked bags and I advised her that is just too much luggage), there is no way on earth that I will do this. :) They keep telling you, pack light, pack light, but then they give you a list a mile long, similar to the list I posted I guess. :) How in the world can you pack light when they tell you it is an absolute necessity that you pack a big spoon, duct tape and a clothesline? :) I don't even have any clothes packed yet! Lastly, I have asked Anne what do I truly need on my first trip, since I plan to make two, and this is what she has advised:

First Trip - Take 3 or 4 outfits including sweaters, hats and a jacket, 2 or 3 blankets, a few bibs and burp clothes, books, and toys. If you want you can bring medications as well. No stroller or carrier needed on the first trip. You can buy diapers and wipes there as they are too bulky to pack. If the baby takes a bottle the baby house will bring you one. Pacifiers are a good idea and no need for shampoos and such on the first trip.

So what about that kitchen sink that I was told to bring? Which trip should I bring that on? :)

Oh Yeah - Bug Bites

I am traveling in November / December possibly, do you think I need anything for bug bites? If so, if only one person even says yes, you know that i will pack that too. :) I guess that I am just figuring that the bugs may be sleeping when I come. :)

Too Funny

Okay, so I am working on my second set of needed docs, this is the set of updated originals that I need to actually bring with me to Kaz, and so I got my 'police clearance letter today.' You just never know what these people are looking for, what should a police clearance letter say? I am a perfectly wonderful citizen, so what would it then say? Well..........this is what mine said:

RE: Background Check for Christina Danyell Simon, DOB: 03-03-76

Ms. Simon:

The following is the information that was located regarding your involvements with the Big Lake Police Department.

12-31-04 Homeowner – Alarm

05-28-04 Homeowner – Alarm

09-11-03 Homeowner – Alarm

08-23-03 Reported – Animal Complaint

06-05-03 Reported – Theft

..............so I emailed Anne and asked if this sounded normal, and even in my email to her I had to explain each incident. The alarms, that was me learning my new alarm system that rings directly to the PD when it goes off - it wasn't me running around town setting off alarms or anything, the animal complaint was the neighbor's stupid dog peeing on my deck one too many times not my vicious attack dogs sicking on the neighbor kids, and the theft was someone steeling crap out of my garage not me breaking in to someone's home and stealing their stuff..........but doesn't it look bad? Anne replied, and her subject line said ****JUNK**** police clearance letter. Hahahahaha! Okay, so it should only say that I don't have a record, no need to get so specific. :) I am getting that re-written tomorrow. :)

Packing, Packing and Re-Packing

So this may not be a fun post for those who are not either getting ready to travel, or for those of you that will never travel (my friends and family), but it is fun to share the craziness of trying to shop and pack before leaving to meet your child 1/2 way across the world. Here is what I have packed thus far: (basically any item mentioned on any list, I am trying to purchase and pack.....just in case you know)

Columbia water proof boots rated for -25 degrees (tough decision as they are not my normal cute high heeled boots, but they are practical - don't you hate practical!), custom diaper bag that will double or should I say triple as a backpack and a laptop carrier, several chewie toys, space bags, tampons, first aid kit, travel adapters, water purification tablets, 24 favorite DVDs for me and the baby, travel shampoo and the like, waist and arm money belts, sling purse, sauce pan, bibs, disposable bibs, Dr. Brown bottles with 2 types of Nipples, Sippy Cup, Tagless Onesies, Thermos with carrying case, baby wash clothes, Huggies wipes, giraffe rattle, 2 kid friendly photo albums, Ibuprofen, Desitin, Antibacterial gel and wipes, Baby Orajel, clothesline, Thank you cards, sewing kit, duct tape, several small Charmin to go rolls, vaseline, 2 different styles of nooks, Miralax, wrapping tissue, sharp knife, big spoon, several board books including a couple with baby sign language, gifts for the caregivers, my driver, etc, rubber gloves, flat drain stop, ice cube tray, baby health care and grooming kit, can opener, hand warmers, Shout Wipes, Tylenol Cough & Sore Throat, rubber funnels, hydro cortisone 1% cream, more rattles, Tylenol Infant drops plus Cold, Mylicon (gas relief for infants), Nix Lice Treatment, Q-tips, Midol (can't leave home without that!), Hot / Cold packs for baby, gift bags, light weight stroller, several super dooper cute girl outfits/ pj's/ onesies/ fleece zipper suit things :) from sizes 3-6 months to 12-18 months, Stack & Roll cups, Claritin D, Band-Aids, Halls cough drops, ziploc bags, Safety spoons, pantyhose, Johnson's baby travel kit, duffel bag, Tums, Eye drops, Shaving Cream, liquid detergent, Calming Lavendar and Vanilla Baby Lotion, body loofa, ear plugs, baby blanket x2, stuffed bear (that i have been sleeping with), pad of paper, travel pillow, Listerine Cool Mint, Downy Wrinkle Releaser, calculator, extra batteries for my camera, Thermals, pink Robeez from Aunt Becky, clothespins, flat bed sheet, pillow case, complete book for international adoption, travel book from LMI, passport + 4 additional copies of it, original I-171H, 4 original birth certificates, tons more paperwork...........and I still have more to buy such as a blow up tub, diapers, plastic bags for poopy diapers, pedialyte, food for me (granola bars, oatmeal, trail mix, etc.)crisp new money with the big heads :) ...........oh, so much more to do. :) Of course I will bring my laptop, I-Pod and my camera. My girlfriend Marla even let me borrow her purple luggage, perfect, who else has purple luggage? No getting taken by someone else accidentally. :)

New Hotel Information

So here is what I know so far, there are two hotels that I am learning about in Aqtobe (with a 'q' or with a 'k' ?? I still don't know), the first is Hotel Datsum or Dastan and the second is Hotel Asia. I hope that I got that right. :) The Hotel Datsum sits just above a restaraunt, so the mere 11-12 hotel rooms total are all on the second floor of the building, and there are then apartment buildings on the 3rd floor. Weird hu! This hotel only has 11-12 rooms, not what I expected. Where's the pool then? hehehe just kidding! There is a guard on duty, and someone at the front desk, 24/7 and you can usually find someone that can speak a little English. :) Bonus for me! This hotel is not as centrally located. Then there is the Hotel Asia, this hotel is above a disco, yikes!, and the mere 11 or 12 total rooms in this hotel are located on the 2nd and 3rd levels of the building. Again, not what I was imagining, however, there is a Bell Boy that carries your luggage upstairs for you, no elevator, but a strapping Bell Boy! This hotel is a bit more centrally located to shopping from what I hear, and that is super important! :) I do plan to go shopping at the market and the pray about my spending of money at the mosque upstairs when I am done. :) That sounds almost as fun as drinking at my Baby Shower, oh yeah, you bet that we are going to do that! How funny is that, drinking at a baby shower! :)

The apartments do have a seperate living space as well as a kitchen and laundry, and they are just shy of $1,000 cheaper per 30 days in Aqtobe. From what I have seen, the apartments do look super nice inside, and if I were traveling w/ a stout husband, I would probably go this route, but since I am not, I believe that I have chosen to stay at the hotel. My family is happy with this decision too! :)

Names & Their Kazakh origin

Children are our joy and hope. Kazakh people have such proverb:
"House with children - full house, without - empty",
that can be exactly translated as "House with children - bazar(means: noisy market), without - mazar(grave)"

Culture of Kazakhstan.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Names.
"Among people living in this world there are no and ever shouldn't be one who's nameless. When born, everybody - noble or miserable - with name like a sweet gift is endowed ..." These words, the essence of which has been confirmed by our life, were said by Homer centuries ago. The range of personal names Kazakh people have is very wide but is not limited by national or racial prejudices. The process of engendering new unique names is observed within centuries. Kazakh people do not have specially devised names. All names come from their life and events that accompany it. Sometimes names were given in accordance with the circumstances in which the child was born: during the roaming from place to place or in accordance with some other events.

For instance:


Amanjol - farewell
Jolay - born in transit
Maydan - battle-front

Frequently names revealed parent's desire to see in a child some certain traces of character:


Rishad - clever, reasonable
Sabir - endurant, patient
Burkut - strong as golden eagle

Female names are connected with beauty, subtlety, grace:


Aisulu - lunar beauty
Altinai - the golden moon
Meruert - pearl
Asembala - wonderful child.

The names derived from the appellations of animals are also uncommon and beautiful:


Arystan - lion
Karlygash - swallow
Botagos - camel's eye
Sandugash - nightingale

You can also come across geographical names such as:


Bagdad, Oral(Uralsk)
Altay, Edil(Volga).

Sometimes names were given to denominate the age of father in the moment of birth or expressed a wish of long life to the child and his family:


Elubai - 50,
Minbai - 1000,
Kirikbai - 40,
Juzsin - 100,
Alpisbai - 60

In many cases names were given to denominate some certain customs and traditions. In families, where children died frequently, names to the new-born children were given independently of sex:


Tohtar, Turas - stay alive
Ategen, Tolemis - returned, retrieved.

But if you came across such female names as the following, you'd turn the next page of Kazakh traditions and believes: these names were believed to influence upon the sex of the child born after the girl:


Umsindic - deceived hope.
Uljas - a boy after a girl.

Of course among Kazakh names we can find some which have been adopted from the other languages. These names taken from Russian and Jewish are perceived without changes:


Andrey, Artur, Rosa,
Boris, Marat, Raisa.

The overwhelming majority of Kazakh names habe quiet clear meaning:


Alma - apple
Sheker - sugar sand
Temir - iron

As every folk Kazakh people use different subtle names. The subtle form is made up by taking out the end of the name and adding "sh" or "ken":


Satilgan - Satish
Ainagul - Ainash
Saducas - Saken

Parents, relatives or old members of the family appeal to children with the help of words connected with names of animal's youngs:


Botam - young camel

Getting Closer

So, slowly but surely my daughter's (I can't wait until she officially has a name) nursery is coming along. Last week, I picked up the cushions to our new rocker, it looks so darn cute now; the rocker went from an Oak chair with mauve cushions to a crisp cute white w/ funky stripes = too cute! I also put up the curtains of my dreams yesterday, all by myself I might add, they are Dupioni Silk from Pottery Barn. Rock on hu, my curtains in my bedroom are from IKEA, go figure. :) The little butterflies on the curtains are just temporary, it is the cutest mobile ever, I plan to hang the butterflies above the crib..............once it finally gets here. I am crossing fingers that it will be here by the end of the month, as promised. Please excuse all of the stuff on the dresser, I didn't want to clean it off as I wanted to hurry downstairs to play on the computer and watch, "Knocked Up." That movie rocks!

2 Baby Houses?

Tonight, I may have learned something new; as I was reading another family's blog about their trip to Aqtobe (Aktobe) to adopt their little boy, I learned that there is actually 2 baby houses in Aktobe. The first baby house is Ymit, the baby house that I hear that i will be going to, and this baby house has the children up to a year old. I then learned that there is also a second baby house, this baby house has toddlers from 1-3 years of age. I was surprised to read this, I thought that most baby houses had babies & toddlers up to about age 3 or 4. I guess that I can't remember reading this fact anywhere, but I sure was surprised to read that at the Ymit babyhouse, there are only babies up to one year of age. My question to my coordinator now is, does this mean that I will be meeting babies up to only a year old, or can I also visit the second baby house to meet a couple toddlers? This is a question that I have since emailed Anne, my coordinator. :) My home study indicates that I can adopt a child from 6-15 months, and honestly, I am not sure that age is as important as health and personality. From my understanding, the photos that i am posting are from the 'toddler' baby house, it looks pretty nice.

Possible Apartment Living in Aqtobe (Aktobe)

Okay, so I am trying to decide if I would prefer to stay in an apartment or a hotel for my first trip to my daughter's region (hometown.) If I am to stay in an apartment it is about 1/2 the cost, has a kitchen and a living area, however, it may be up several flights of stairs (keep in mind that I will have several suitcases, etc. in tow), safety is a concern for me, and I may have little company. A hotel on the other hand is staffed 24 hours a day which feels a bit more safe, there may be other adoptive families in my same hotel, however, it is twice the cost and I will not have the convenience of a kitchen in my room = again, more expense. Hmmmmm! I have attached a couple photos that another SKM (Single Kaz Mom - this is my adoption pose) emailed to me today, this was her apartment in Aqtobe just last year around this same time. :) The apartment doesn't look too darn shabby! :)

My daughter's home town - that would be what us midwesterners would call it.

So here it is, my daughter's home, her region, where she was most likely born. Isn't it just crazy to know that she is there waiting for me in this building called 'Ymit.' :) and :( all in the same, I just pray that she is happy! This is her home! This is where I will be in just a couple months, and I am sure the snow will still be there waiting for me. So now when I email and post, you know where I am spending my days.

The first 3 photos are of the mosque / market, yes, this is where the Kazak people shop and then pray/worship; one stop shopping. :) This is where I will be spending my nights.........in the shopping area of course. :)

Freakin' Out ............ Still!

Okay, so I just received an email that stated that although I don't have my LOI yet, and my dossier is on its' way to Aqtobe, to start putting my pet-sitters and house-sitters on call just in case I travel in the next 4-8 weeks. Are you kidding? If I knew all of you better, I would have said a naughty word there, but since I don't know you all and my mom reads this blog, I thought it best not to put that word. I am freakin' out! As I told my business partner, I am packing & shopping like I could leave in 4 weeks, but mentally I didn't think it was a reality so I have not really prepared my mind for the possibility of such a quick travel. Freakin! Honestly, this is what I had hoped for, I wanted to travel in November / December and bond at home in January, my ideal scenario some months back, but now that I am closer and November is next month, I am nutty! I know, I know, enjoy this time, take it in, nest, are you kidding me? How in the world can I do all that when I have so much to do? :) Breathe!

Today I spoke w/ the sister of a new adoptive Aqtobe mom, which was absolutely wonderful, and she let me know that the way the locals pronounce this region is: Ock too bay - and the 'Ock' (short O) is pronounced with a gruff German throat thing. :)

Today, I took the day off, just in case, I thought that I best get a couple additional things for my trip, so I picked up my Skype headsets for my business partner Angie and I, my plug in transformer, my cd case for 24 movies (Had to buy 'Knocked Up' too as I laughed my butt off when I saw it in the theater,) curtains, sheers and curtain rods for the nursery, my cushions for the glider (just reupholstered), and I think that was it. Oh yeah, and I picked out my car seat that I will pick up in the next little while, and I checked on my crib, that I had to special order - grrrr - and it should be in at the end of this month. (run on sentence there :) Shopping is nearly complete, now I need to get the puppy sitter, bills & business side of things set up, second Hep shot & HIV test scheduled, another set of finger prints done, and on and on and on! How is a girl supposed to work here?

Comments on my Blog

To my friends & family, now that you are signed up and have your google user name and password, you can start leaving comments on my blog too. :) Just click on the comments button after each entry and you can read other's comments and post one too! :)

Names

Okay, so I have been a bit hesitant to share my name ideas with everyone, but I have decided that it is always fun to hear what names someone is considering, so I figured why not post. :) My hope is to use my daughter's given name either for her first or middle, so I am keeping a very open mind & heart in regards to naming her before we meet. I will post a survey of names, as a fun way to see what names are most popular, and for those of you that truly know me, you know that I won't be swayed by the results as I am stubborn and will go with my heart once I meet my little girl. :)

My Daughter is in Aqtobe (Aktobe & formerly Aktyubinsk)

This week I found out that my daughter is in Aqtobe (pronounced Octobe with a short O then a long O then a long E - kind of like October without the R and adding a Long E to the end.) As another adoptive parent put it, "When I found out my region, I had no idea where in the world it was, and now it is my favorite place on earth!" This region is to the far west of Kazakhstan, in the boonies practically, about 100km from the Russian border. Actually, if you can find the Ural River on my map (double-click the map to make it larger), to the west of this river is considered Europe, but Aqtobe is still in Central Asia. The population of Aqtobe is about 300,000 people with a fair mix of Russian & Kazak. Kazakhstan is eleven to twelve time zones away from us, literally Kazakhstan is on the other side of the world. :)

I will fly into Almaty and then take an in-country flight to Aqtobe, I am told that the flight is only about 2 1/2 hours.

The name of the Baby House is Ymit, also called Umit, which I believe stands for 'Hope.' Perfect! From what I gather so far, the orphanage is fairly old but in relatively good condition. The caregivers are said to be dutiful and have amazing affection for the kids. One mom said that there are about 8-10 children per group and 4 caregivers, if this is still the case, that means that the ratio between caregiver to child is only 1:2 1/2 babies. This is absolutely amazing, and I truly hope this is the case. If this is not the case, please do not email me otherwise, it will help me during the wait to know that my daughter is being well cared for. :)

I KNOW MY REGION!!!!!

FABULOUS NEWS TODAY - I FOUND OUT WHICH REGION I AM ADOPTING MY DAUGHTER FROM. :) I CAN'T POST THE REGION ON MY BLOG UNTIL I AM PASSWORD PROTECTED, WHICH WILL NOW HAPPEN LATER THIS WEEK, SO EMAIL ME PRIVATELY OR LEAVE A COMMENT AND I WILL LET YOU IN ON THE SECRET. IT WOULDN'T BE SMART TO GIVE OUT REGION INFORMATION ON THE OPEN INTERNET, THUS A PASSWORD PROTECTED BLOG TO COME SOON, SAFETY GIRL! :) YAHOOOOO! NOW I MUST RESEARCH MY DAUGHTER'S REGION!

Best Diaper Bag Ever

Here is my new diaper bag!!! Aren't the little Asian flowers so sweet!!! :) And since I don't yet know my daughter's name, and my agency is Little Miracles, I thought it quite creative and appropriate to have 'Little Miracle' embroidered on the bag. She will be my Little Miracle, so it is perfect!!!!! Plug - If you want a custom embroidered diaper bag for you, for a friend, for your sister, etc. I can hook you up with Gretchen; Gretchen will ship anywhere and can embroider or hot press anything from shirts to hats to bags to coats and she can accommodate an order of 1 or 100. :) Feel free to post a comment on my blog and I can get you her contact information. Below is a little video clip that I put together for your viewing pleasure. hahaha It is me modeling my new diaper bag; I thought that I best try this video thing out before going to Kaz so I know how to post videos while I am overseas. :) Ta-da and here it is!!! I am a geek, I know, but it is fun!

I Seriously Cannot Handle It

Is this not the cutest little man you have ever seen??? Oh my heavens is he just a peanut! This is my youngest nephew Kolter in his Coonskin hat. :)

On the Move

Just got a needed email from Anne, my coordinator, my file is ON THE MOVE!!!! Tomorrow I need to get moving on a couple additional forms that must be signed & Fed-Exed back to my agency asap. :) Again, the never ending question, what does this mean???? Well, not so sure, but as always, it is exciting!!!!!!! I needed some happy news today, I am really feeling down on the market, as we all are, just so darn depressing for my sellers. I got so tired of bad news today that I had to come home an hour early to just submerse myself in blogs and wine.....and then I received the needed email from Anne.....and I feel a little better. :) One more glass of wine perhaps. (No question mark there, I do need another glass of wine.) :):)

The Blog Of Blogs

Check out this site: http://adoptionblogs.blogspot.com/ This is a wonderful site with several additional blogs of families that are currently in process and already home with their adopted chilren.

International Adoption Doctor

I have decided to use Dr. Dana Johnson at the University of Minnesota Hospitals as my International Adoption Doctor. (For those less versed in the Internet, if you click on Dr. Johnson's name in the last sentence, it will take you to his site so you can read more of his credentials, service work, etc. :) Dr. Dana Johnson is the Director of the International Adoption Clinic at the University of MN. :)

If I end up getting a referral from my agency, I will send Dr. Johnson over the medicals prior to my acceptance of the child for him to review the health / health risks for my child. I am told that there is a 3 day turn around time on the review. :) At that point, Dr. Johnson will let me know if there are any major medical concerns or if this child seems to be of good health. If he does have specific concerns, I can ask my agency to 'try' to collect additional information on this child for the doctor to review before making any decisions on the acceptance.

And if I end up traveling to select, I will upload all health records on-line as well as any videos and photos that I take while at the orphanage in Kaz so Dr. Johnson can review the health of my child while I am overseas. The turn around time for an overseas review is only 24 hours. :) I can choose to either complete the review and communicate with Dr. Johnson via email or a phone conversation while in country, which is comforting, so if he has Skype, which I would have to think that he does, I can talk with him via the phone through my computer, this would be ideal.

Dr. Johnson comes highly highly recommended within the adoption community, so I feel very comfortable that we are in good hands.