Countdown...

New Year's Countdown & MySpace Layouts

Merry Christmas!

Cookies, Snow, Tree

I took a bunch of pictures this past week but never got around to posting anything.. soooo here we go..

I made Christmas butter cookies last Friday.. my Mom's recipe.. I wasn't sure if I was going to make them by myself but I managed to get thru it (the kitchen isn't exactly my favorite room in the house..lol). I just realized I didn't take a picture of the finished product.. lol Oh well, at least I look organized here right?

We got a little snow last week, this was just the beginning. Yoshi loves the snow, but only until he gets wet, then he has enough. He likes to eat it when it freezes, that could have something to do with us giving him ice cubes as treats.. lol
This is my very poor attempt at a snowman. You can kind of tell from the picture what is about to happen next. I snapped this right before Yoshi defaced Frosty.

Here's our slightly crooked fake skinny tree. I love my tree! lol I try to buy an ornament every year with the date on it. I bought a hallmark one this year, a glass bell that says Believe, Hope, Joy, Peace, very pretty (no picture) and since I was slow on ordering a special ornament for Raven, I made one the other day from a porcelein ornament and silver leaf pen from the craft store. It's hard to write in script on a sphere! lol

December Referrals (I'm SO behind!)

December referrals were Feb. 18-23, 2006.

I've been so behind in posting anything I almost forgot to mention it.. lol I figured I'd document it now before January referrals come! lol One day when we come closer to referral, I'd like to make a book out of this blog (or at least the highlights) to document the paperchase and the wait in hard copy, so Raven can see one day how long we've waited for her, how much she was wanted and how we prepared for her arrival. I love how the books come out with all the photos and captions and text. I made/ordered one with all pictures of Yoshi from when he was a puppy till 2 years old for my Mom for Christmas (Shhhhhh, don't tell her), and it came out really good.

20 Months

This post brought to you by the number 20.

First one to bite the dust this year...

So the tree has been up since Friday and only one ornament has been chewed on so far. Not too bad. I make it a point to not put any tasty ones dangling from the bottom of the tree but apparently I need to move them all even higher. I heard this one being chewed on from the other room and when I came out to see what was going on, this is the face I get...

Hi Mommy.

I'm not doing anything wrong.

What ornament?

I don't see any ornament.

Oh. THAT ornament. Hmmm.

I think the cat did it.

ElfYourself

I've seen this on so many blogs already and it never gets old!! So I finally broke down and decided to ElfOurselves.. lol

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

It's the little things...

...as in these too cute little swimsuits I just got in the mail from Amazon! I spend way too much time searching through Amazon for books and baby items and found these on clearance through Target.com. They were 75% off and I just had to have them for the low low price of $5.73 (without shipping of course). They are even cuter in person!! I got one in 18M and the other in 12M, although I probably should have went for a bigger size. Anyway, thought I'd post some links if anyone is interested in checking them out. I love a good sale!!

19 Months

This wait is moving as fast as this train is.

2 Days

No words.

Picture says it all...

What an amazing night!

TODAY IS THE BIG DAY! FINALLY!!

A few days later....

Guess what I'll be doing again this weekend.....

Don't mind the lovely checkerboard garage door, it's on "the list". lol

I love my tree. :-)

Leaves and Shopping

My Saturday...

This past weekend flew by. I spent most of Saturday afternoon with hubby trying to get SOME of the leaves off our front yard. We have this beautiful HUGE tree right in the middle of the yard and every year the leaves first turn bright orange then bright yellow then the leaves keep falling for a while before the tree is finally bare sometime in November. This was our FIRST attempt to do some raking. We'll have to do it again a couple more times. It seems our tree also likes to spread the wealth to several of our neighbors since they don't have too many leaves on their lawns, except for our leaves that have blown to everyone else's yard. LOL I was exhausted at this point in the picture and what better spot to rest than in a nice comfy pile of leaves? I think I am saying here "don't even think of taking that picture!". LOL It wasn't so easy to get out of this pile of leaves either.. lol my legs are still sore!

The other bright spot of the weekend (really doesn't take much these days) was my window shopping expedition to the new Tanger Outlet shopping center that opened up this weekend less than 5 minutes from my house. Hubby refused to go and sit in traffic, but I had to go.. it's what I do. LOL I've been anxiously waiting months for this HUGE beautiful looking mall to open so he can't expect me to not to at least take a walk around grand opening weekend! So I sat in a bit of traffic trying to get into the parking lot and walked around checking out what stores were there and such. Mind you, I didn't go into any stores until I was getting ready to leave and saw a Carter's store. Had to go in. It's been months since I bought any clothing for Raven, and I wasn't even going to buy anything until I saw this cute little jacket.. $10. Couldn't help myself. And the shopping is now out of my system.. lol

The rest of the weekend was spent doing fun things like laundry and trying to weatherproof the house a bit since we have so many drafts from these OLD windows that need to be replaced.

So.... where the rumors at? I've been trying to stay away from RQ too, but I can't... let's have a big November batch ok CCAA?? Pleeeeeeeeeease?

18 Months!

Wow, this is kind of a bittersweet milestone. We've now been waiting a year and a half for our daughter, Raven. When our Dossier was sent to China in April 2007, our agency told us the wait was approximately 18 months (at the time). I soon realized from all the message boards and groups I joined, that that number has been going up and up every month and 18 months was what those families at that time had waited. So here we are 18 months later, and probably have more than 18 MORE months to go. On the positive side, (go figure, I can actually be positive!) we have more time to pay off some bills, prepare the house, work on the nursery, save mo' money, loose more weight and all that planning type stuff that rules my world (ugh!). Plus, a year and a half has gone by relatively quickly. It is starting to drag a bit now though, so I have to try to keep extra busy without involving retail therapy, LOL. I haven't purchased ANYTHING for Raven in months!

Let's see what else is new... well I've been following the election on TV a lot. I've been watching some of the footage on CNN and they just showed a few videos of people in line waiting to get into a Palin rally. Now, while I know that racism is still alive in America (unfortunately), I find it beyond sad that in these times people would shout all sorts of racial comments about Obama while waiting to get into a Palin rally. Actually made my stomach turn. It's one thing to not support a candidate for their policies, or even their personality, but these people seem to have some kind of riot mentality and think it's okay to shout these ridiculous, vile, racist things out in public just because they are not going to vote for someone. How narrow minded can these people be that they actually not only believe these things but then feel that it's okay to get together at a rally and fan the fire with other obvious racists. It's just so sad that that kind of hatred still exists.

Ok enough of that.. it's just bringing me down..

RQ a while ago posted about this series and about a month ago hubby brought home the first one in the series for me to read, which he said was recommended by the salesperson. It's about vampires and werewolves, which I used to read back in the day. So I started reading the first one and couldn't put it down. When I went to buy the second one I realized it was in the Young Adult section which explains the content of some of the storyline, but I still really enjoyed it. I am now on the 4th and final book in the series and plan on seeing the movie when it comes out... hopefully I'm not the only 40 year old there! LOL It's more of a love story I think than a vampire story, and it's very innocent and takes you back to those "young love" years.. LOL I haven't been so into a series in a while, and I almost don't want this last one to end. LOL Anyway, here's the links if anyone is interested.

Well, I don't have much else to write about. I haven't been doing any projects lately. I don't know if I posted about the art/display cabinet I made for hubby, I don't think I did so here are some pics of that. I still have to put doors on it, but he's using it now as is. Basically, he needed something to store his oil paintings so they can dry and to have a little storage too. The top comes off and slides back and is used as a display area he can arrange a scene on it to paint, like fruit, glass, etc. I'll have to post some of his paintings once I take some pics.

Ok that's all for now. :-)

October Referrals with a Twist?

I'm so slacking on my map updating duties it's ridiculous. October referrals were Feb 10-15, 2006. And apparently, part of Feb 16th 2006 got referred too a week and a half later???? That's so strange but I'll take it! Anything different the CCAA does that means more referrals I am all for! Hopefully a sign of good things to come!

I'd be REALLY happy (go figure) if CCAA could at least refer 15 days per month. That would mean about another 28 month wait (in my math anyway) and would be a referral coming early 2011. UGH. But soooooo much better than continuing with 5 or 6 days a month.

OK I'm stopping now before it gets ugly! lol

USCIS Drama

Well, as I sure my fellow adopters have heard by now, USCIS is allowing people who filed an I600A and have a current I171H to file (for a fee) another I600A when their free renewal is about to expire. Got the following info from our agency today:



Q: My/our initial I-600A approval or extension is still valid, how does this new USCIS announcement impact my/our case with immigration?
A: This new USCIS announcement speaks directly to those families who will receive or have already received the one time USCIS fee free extension. As of TODAY, October 14, 2008, you will be able to submit a new I-600A prior to the expiration of your current I-171H/I-797C. A new I-171H/I-797C approval will be issued and you will have the ability to file for one more extension then if necessary. If your immigration paperwork is nearing expiration, please contact your home study agency as soon as possible to initiate the process.

Q: My/our I-171H/I-797C has expired. What does this news mean for my/our case?
A: At this time, USCIS is not allowing a family with expired I-171H/I-797C to file a new I-600A. You will ultimately need to file an I-800A with immigration to receive your approval prior to being matched. We will continue to work with you as to when to file the I-800A.

Q: I/we have already filed the I-800A or am/are preparing to start my/our I-800A filing. How does this affect me/us?
A: You will need to continue to file the I-800A if you do not have valid I-171H/I-797C immigration approval. We are watching timelines and continue to advise you on filing the I-800A.

When we first were reminded by our agency that our I171H was going to expire, they offered us 2 choices, go for the free renewal using the I600A or let the I171H expire and renew using the I800A when we are closer to be matched. The reasoning behind letting it expire was that the free renewal was only good for 18 months and chances are we will not have a referral in 18 months at which time we'd have to re-file and pay all the fees associated with the I800A as well as the 10 hours (I believe) of parent training. This sounded reasonable at the time. First, in order to do the free renewal, we'd need a homestudy update and our social worker changed homestudy agencies and we'd have to go through them and do more paperwork/approvals etc. We figured if we have to go through that just to have to do the I800A anyway in another 18 months, we might as well just save the money and wait till we get closer to referral and do it then. Plus, I looked at the application and spoke to our agency and social worker and the I800 didn't seem so impossible. Made sense to us at the time.

Then the drama started. Probably a couple of weeks before our I171H was to expire (too late to do anything about that). Started reading all over the boards and groups about how families might be denied the I800A because they don't meet China's May 1 restrictions even though they were "grandfathered" in with China. Well, talk about stressing! BUT, after talking with our agency yet again, twice and reading a few more things, our agency very clearly stated that the USCIS approval and China's restrictions are two entirely different things. Now, to clarify there is a section in the I800A that states that you have to put that you meet the country's requirements to adopt from that country and I guess that is what was freaking people out, because you figure if you file the I800A after May 1st 2007 (obviously) then you don't meet China's requirements (assuming you rushed to meet the May 1st deadline and were grandfathered in like us). Well, again our agency, unworried, told us that when the time comes they will tell the social worker how to word that, stating something like at the time our dossier was logged in with China and was accepted we met the requirements to adopt from China and that's all there is to it. (I'm sure they would word it better..). I believe our agency. I'm a lot less worried about it than I was before.. because if you think about it, how many March/April 2007 LID'ers would be denied when it would be time to file an I800A if people started putting that they don't CURRENTLY meet the restrictions?? MANY! When the fact is, the dossier was already "accepted" by China prior to May 1st 2007 and that hasn't changed.

We even called USCIS who told us they knew about no pending decision to allow people to keep filing an I600A and that if we were not going to be travelling in the next 18 months then we would have to file the I800A eventually. Well, what do you know. Now you can keep filing an I600A IF you didn't already let the paperwork expire. Thanks USCIS. A little late though.

I'm not going to worry about it now anyway. Well, I'll worry a little because that's what I do. But I trust our agency and what they said makes perfect sense about USCIS having nothing to do with China's restrictions because we are already logged in with China, already grandfathered in with China. It will be a pain to do the I800A though as the homestudy will have to be worded in a certain way and I hear it is many more pages and with many more details and clearances, but that part I am not worried about. Also I think it takes much longer to process the I800A.

I can't really second guess at this point the decision to let our paperwork expire. It was the right decision for us at the time (when there was no chance for continuing the I600A). I've read about other people letting theirs expire too so we are not the only ones out there.

At least we know we are still in line to adopt from China and that's all that really matters.

Now if another road block comes up in a couple of years when we go to do the I800A.. well then I am going to be one very unhappy camper. I can't even imagine coming this far, being approved for everything (assuming we get through the Review Room), then being rejected years later due to a paperwork technicality. That would be a cruel cruel joke. It really shouldn't be this difficult to adopt.

Vent over. (I think that's all I do on this blog anymore.. sigh)

ADDED: This is the exact wording from my agency, which when read makes me feel so much better!
The NBC also confirmed families who file the I-800A application will be reviewed under the United States immigrationlaws, and guidelines set forth by China will not be considered. In other words, the review process of your immigrationapplication by US immigration personnel is independent from the review process of your dossier by CCAA authorities.Your dossier will be reviewed by the CCAA according to the guidelines that existed at the time your dossier was logged in.

Road Trip

So last Wednesday me, hubby and my mom went on a mini-road trip to Niagara Falls, NY, stopping in Syracuse, NY to see her brother (my uncle) who she hasn't seen in approximately 17 years.

Then we drove on to Niagara Falls, NY.

American Falls. Love this pic.

Horseshoe Falls

The rainbows were beautiful!

This was my Mom's first time there and my second. We got married there on the NY side by the Falls in 2005.

So it was good to get away for a few days, but that'll be the last trip for a while. Need to work on getting the funds back into the bank now.

Not much else going on.

September Referrals

I figured I should post about the September referrals before October referrals come out. LOL So the days were Feb 1 - Feb 9, 2006. Not bad. Let's pick up the pace CCAA!

17 Months

I need to post my referral map but we are getting ready to leave today on a mini-road trip to Niagara Falls. I'll post about all that after we get back Saturday.

Peace

16 Months

I actually had lost count and had to check the blog to see what the last month was. I think it has now made the switch from each month going by incredibly fast to incredibly slow.

At least the Olympics will be over soon and we can see what the rest of the year looks like for referrals. I read somewhere (RQ probably) that it's predicted to take all of 2009 to get through March 2006.

Ok off to get coffee. :-) Have fun blogger peeps.

August Referrals

January 26 - 31st, 2006. Well at least Jan '06 is done.

I know I've been slacking on my blogging duties, but I just need to take a semi-break, plus nothing new is really going on in my neck of the woods anyway.

Blah Part II

sigh

Blah

That's how I feel... but not blah enough not to post at all, almost, but not quite.

Referrals this month... Jan. 21 - 25, 2006

14 Months Down!

This last month FLEW by! I've been trying to keep busy. I started sewing again. Made these 2 sundresses for Raven so far. These are a size 1 in toddler/girls sizes (although they look kinda big to me but I don't have any children yet so what do I know.. lol). I forgot how much I enjoy sewing. I'm thinking about making a few little dresses and selling them, probably on Ebay. I'll post a link if I do that for anyone interested.

So anyway, I'm having a hard time with the wait. I mean I've been reading a bunch of blogs and following them as they go to China to get their babies or older children, and I've been sewing for Raven and thinking about all the things that will change when she's here and all the things we need to do till that time comes, but when I think about when that time really is.. it's hard. At least January 2007 is out of the Review Room. I'll definetly feel a little more at ease once we pass thru.

Oh yea.. this has been the view out of my office at home for the past couple of weeks. They're all grown now and flew the coup.. lol But it was fun watching them get fed every few minutes.

Not much else to report right now. Same 'ole same 'ole pretty much. Till next time. Peace.