So, we are heading into our third summer vacation waiting for our referral. Our third summer of hesitating to spend money and making travel plans. Also our third summer of repeating, "This is the summer of our referral" - even though I really do feel that this IS our summer for referral (see, there I go again).
Two summers ago we did our crazy 3 week N. California camping trip (with a 2 year old!) and I was trying to find Internet daily thinking we would be getting our referral from Taiwan. In our wildest dreams, we would have never thought that 2 years from then we would still be in the SAME BOAT! (ugh... just typing that makes me want to drink)
Since everything went down with ET adoptions (new delays) last winter, for sanity's sake, I have been trying to look on the bright side of those things that I have no control over; just stop with the planning and go on with our lives. It is not easy, but here's our concerted family approach to this summer:
1) Plan trips. If referral happens, it happens. Travel plans can be changed. We co-leased a condo in Park City for the month of July - one with tennis and a pool out our door. Such a nice distraction from looking at an empty baby room. We are also heading out to MA in late June, and if I can find a great deal, I might do some serious talking Husband into a quicky Disney Land trip.
2) Spend money. We have the money saved for the adoption, so we're taking a hiatus from our penny pinching mentality and allowing ourselves to buy some things for the house, plant trees on our property, and even buy a nice pair of shoes without hyperventilating!
3) Gear up for our HGTV extravaganza. Filming late July to early August (if this really happens - hate to jinx it).
4) Relish in our 1:1 time with the kid. Having a sister will be such a wonderful addition, but we will never have that time alone with him again.
5) Talk friends into coming to visit. We have succeeded with one. Yippee Beth and little Luci Lu!
6) Whip my back into shape. I finally found a good PT, so I am committed to our weekly scheduled appointments throughout the summer.
7) Be a frequent shopper at a new local farmer's market and even possibly start cooking again.
Friday, May 27, 2011
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
One year
Yep, it's been a year since we were officially put on the wait list. When we started, they said 10-12 months for referral. Then at 4 months, referrals were shooting out at a crazy speed and we thought it would be more like 8-10 months. Just heard word that there are, "No referrals expected in the immediate future" (meaning is the next few weeks, at least).
Breathe.... Ohm.....
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Friday the 13th ... the luckiest day ever!
As you all remember, we had a hunch about Friday the 13th 6 years ago. We got married on that day, and despite all of you that thought our marriage would be cursed and doomed because of this, we knew it was going to be a lucky day, so now we are proving you all wrong!
Yesterday's Friday the 13th almost did live to it's reputation, however. In fact, it started out pretty darn shitty. You see, I had this little painful lump on my boob that reared its ugly head last week. My optimism that it was nothing serious went out the window last Tuesday when my doctor said that it looked "suspicious", and then went on to tell his story of how his wife was also 40, no family history, and had a cancerous lump that "came out of nowhere".
Hmmmm, so where does that leave a patient? It leaves her sick with worry all week about her shortened life, how she is going to break the news to the her poor, future motherless son that he is not going to get his baby sister, and sleepless nights planning on where her ashes are going to be spread.
The mammogram/ultrasound was the WORST! Mind you, I had not slept for 4 days by that time, so when the ultra sound tech and doctor had these confused looks while looking at the u/s screen, and then they start talking about that "large mass" and finding that "flagged lymph node".... there was nothing to hold me back. It happened. That from the gut, vomit it out, can't catch the breath, snot floweth to mouth, ugly cry. "IT'S REALLY REALLY BAD, ISN'T IT!?!"
Here's when the day started to get lucky....
First lucky thing:
(gasp) "Oh no! We are so sorry! Did we not tell you that it is just a cyst? It is absolutely not bad and we are so sorry we made you lay there (for 15 minutes) so stressed when we knew this all along!" (thanks a lot you PROFESSIONALS in a line of work where being sensitive to the the subject matter should be like 99% of your job!) Luckily, it was just a cyst that somehow got infected. They biopsied it and said it looked fine. The infection is what most likely caused my lymph node to be a little inflamed.
Second lucky thing:
I walked out of the clinic and the sun was shining, the flowers blooming, the birds were singing (I swear it was a thunderstorm when I walked in), and while skipping to my car and "YAHOOING!" to Husband on the phone, I hear the other line clicking in.
Guess who it was? Remember that little show we applied to a while back.... HGTV!?!?! It was the producer leaving a message! Fast forward to the next day (after a night of guzzling champagne with our dear friends to celebrate the first lucky thing), I talked with the producer on the phone for a good 15 minutes. I am a little bit confused about if we are really going to get picked to get HGTV'd, but we must pretty darn close by the amount of questions and information we've been sharing. She said she would get back to me in about 3 weeks "for the next step", so I will be keeping you all posted for sure!
The funniest thing (and the one reason that may put the brakes on us not getting picked) is that the questionnaire, applications, and producer's question centered around our "fantasy space" for our family room. All who knows us know that our creativity amounts to about that of putting a stick in some mud.
So, any suggestions? We want a rockin' family space, so what do you think? So far, my suggested themes are along the line of a space ship room, ski lodge, desert spa, an aquarium wall, a built in petting zoo, a mad scientist lab, and trapeze bars hanging from the beams. Can anyone top those?
In conclusion, the second luckiest thing does not REALLY matter (but would be cool as hell!), because what really matters is the first thing. My health. Our health. Our family. Our new home. Our future daughter. All the other million little things that we have to be thankful for. HGTV is a super exciting prospect in our lives, and if all this experience is going to end up being is a fun distraction from our constant lamenting over our delayed adoption, then so-be-it. It is fun and really helping us look at the bright side of life for a while!
Yesterday's Friday the 13th almost did live to it's reputation, however. In fact, it started out pretty darn shitty. You see, I had this little painful lump on my boob that reared its ugly head last week. My optimism that it was nothing serious went out the window last Tuesday when my doctor said that it looked "suspicious", and then went on to tell his story of how his wife was also 40, no family history, and had a cancerous lump that "came out of nowhere".
Hmmmm, so where does that leave a patient? It leaves her sick with worry all week about her shortened life, how she is going to break the news to the her poor, future motherless son that he is not going to get his baby sister, and sleepless nights planning on where her ashes are going to be spread.
The mammogram/ultrasound was the WORST! Mind you, I had not slept for 4 days by that time, so when the ultra sound tech and doctor had these confused looks while looking at the u/s screen, and then they start talking about that "large mass" and finding that "flagged lymph node".... there was nothing to hold me back. It happened. That from the gut, vomit it out, can't catch the breath, snot floweth to mouth, ugly cry. "IT'S REALLY REALLY BAD, ISN'T IT!?!"
Here's when the day started to get lucky....
First lucky thing:
(gasp) "Oh no! We are so sorry! Did we not tell you that it is just a cyst? It is absolutely not bad and we are so sorry we made you lay there (for 15 minutes) so stressed when we knew this all along!" (thanks a lot you PROFESSIONALS in a line of work where being sensitive to the the subject matter should be like 99% of your job!) Luckily, it was just a cyst that somehow got infected. They biopsied it and said it looked fine. The infection is what most likely caused my lymph node to be a little inflamed.
Second lucky thing:
I walked out of the clinic and the sun was shining, the flowers blooming, the birds were singing (I swear it was a thunderstorm when I walked in), and while skipping to my car and "YAHOOING!" to Husband on the phone, I hear the other line clicking in.
Guess who it was? Remember that little show we applied to a while back.... HGTV!?!?! It was the producer leaving a message! Fast forward to the next day (after a night of guzzling champagne with our dear friends to celebrate the first lucky thing), I talked with the producer on the phone for a good 15 minutes. I am a little bit confused about if we are really going to get picked to get HGTV'd, but we must pretty darn close by the amount of questions and information we've been sharing. She said she would get back to me in about 3 weeks "for the next step", so I will be keeping you all posted for sure!
The funniest thing (and the one reason that may put the brakes on us not getting picked) is that the questionnaire, applications, and producer's question centered around our "fantasy space" for our family room. All who knows us know that our creativity amounts to about that of putting a stick in some mud.
So, any suggestions? We want a rockin' family space, so what do you think? So far, my suggested themes are along the line of a space ship room, ski lodge, desert spa, an aquarium wall, a built in petting zoo, a mad scientist lab, and trapeze bars hanging from the beams. Can anyone top those?
In conclusion, the second luckiest thing does not REALLY matter (but would be cool as hell!), because what really matters is the first thing. My health. Our health. Our family. Our new home. Our future daughter. All the other million little things that we have to be thankful for. HGTV is a super exciting prospect in our lives, and if all this experience is going to end up being is a fun distraction from our constant lamenting over our delayed adoption, then so-be-it. It is fun and really helping us look at the bright side of life for a while!
Friday, May 6, 2011
The Crashem' Smashem' Opera
The kid often breaks into a (made-up) song while deep in thought. I could have sat there and watched him all day - just soaking up his wonderfulness. I'd love to know what goes on in that amazing little mind of his.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Almost as exciting as a referral!
For about a a split second last month, I posted our funny little family video we submitted to HGTV for a decorating show (HGTV'd). I took it off after a day because it was just too embarrassing! Well, looks like we might have to get over that camera shyness, because guess who contacted us yesterday?! We are not for sure chosen, but appears as though we might be in the close running by the forms, agreements, and requesting things such as exact measurements of our driveway (for the working vans?)
EXCITING!!!!
It does not matter much if we don't get picked. Really! What is cool is that this experience has perked up my spirit again and it was SO NICE to feel real excitement over something today that was not overshadowed by that storm cloud of frustration regarding our adoption.
So, without further delay, here's that submission clip! (and remember... we have never done this before, and did this on a whim with a first take. Is my voice really that squeaky?).
http://my.hgtv.com/hgtvd/Family-Room/A-Rocky-Mountain-Redo/detail.esi?oid=23804367
EXCITING!!!!
It does not matter much if we don't get picked. Really! What is cool is that this experience has perked up my spirit again and it was SO NICE to feel real excitement over something today that was not overshadowed by that storm cloud of frustration regarding our adoption.
So, without further delay, here's that submission clip! (and remember... we have never done this before, and did this on a whim with a first take. Is my voice really that squeaky?).
http://my.hgtv.com/hgtvd/Family-Room/A-Rocky-Mountain-Redo/detail.esi?oid=23804367
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