Tuesday, August 11, 2009 - 
15 comments
15 comments
Notes
Just a few things that we've been pondering...
* Attachment. We have been doing some serious connection/attachment reading. Both Mike and I are currently completely absorbed in "Parenting Your Internationally Adopted Child" by Patty Cogen. We have learned SO much! It's a GREAT book! We also listened to "Taming the Tiger While it's Still a Kitten" by Nancy Thomas on our way to the lake. With both Big J and my 19 year old niece in the car, the conversations were far from normal or teen like. It was wonderful to hear two young people talk about the attachment process and what it means to them and what their plans are for when Baby J is a part of our family. Both my niece and Big J are hugely compassionate young people and I know what they learned in the car that day will be taken out into the world to be talked about.
* Names. We've made a pretty significant change in our Jennifer's name and it feels so good. Our gal will still be Jennifer but we will be keeping it as her middle name. Come referral day her name will be said from our lips for the rest of our lives.
* Driving. Our sweet Holly finally got her drivers license. She's been waiting and is now a few months from being an adult and thought she was ready. She called us the day she got it and was like an excited child in a candy store. She was so, so excited! Next step for her is to start her ROP classes for law enforcement and finish her last two classes of high school. Proud is not a big enough word for our emotions for her. She is such an amazing young lady with drive like no one I've ever met before!
Cancer. I hate cancer. HATE. A past co-worker lost her daughter two weeks ago. Did I say I hate cancer already? Meghan was only 27. Her entire life ahead of her. Now we have memories of a vivacious young woman who lived life full and is gone too soon. I know too many people who are affected by this disease and it just makes me so angry. I hear the pain in peoples words who walk this path daily. I pray to God daily for those around me who are suffering from it. I witnessed what it does to a dog and I hate it. HATE it!
* Summer. Our summer weather is actually on it's way. Living on the Northern California coast is nice but summers (June-August) are socked in fog ALL. DAY. LONG. Come September we have the best weather in the world until late October. Indian summers are the best!
It's also wonderful for my roses who are getting ready for their third bloom of the season and the other flowering plants in our yard...don't ya love this princess bush!!! BEAUTIFUL!
Renewing. We started the renewal process for our I-171h. Our home study update was last Friday and went smoothly. Our papers are ready to go and now we wait for our local CIS office to do their job. We just hope they don't take their time like they have in the past. From what we hear there is a new orphan officer who is compassionate about his job and orphans, so my faith in our local office has been boosted enormously! Our original paperwork 4 years ago took 11 weeks. We don't have that time this go round nor the patience! I will be at the door everyday going, "open, open, open" until I have the updated paperwork in hand.
* Growth. Big J has grown almost three inches in the last three months. He's HUGE!
Besides growing like a weed, his voice changed or should I say is changing. It's strange to hear him talking in the house somewhere and I yell..."Mike I can't hear you!" In which Mike replies..."that's Big J honey." I have to call his cell phone in order to hear his "little voice" (it is still the message he put on there when he first go it 3 years ago) and trust me I do. Tomorrow is the first official day of school, the last few days have been set aside for freshman only and it's been great to wonder around the campus and "get to know the place". The last few days have been a walk down memory lane for me and quite emotional. I remember my first day of high school like it was yesterday. I can't blink because Big J's high school days will be over before I know it. I'm strapped in for the ride and can't wait to see the adventures ahead.
Preparing. Mike and I finally decided it was time to get back into the nursery and tackle the job of finishing it up. There is so much to do and doing it feels so good. We finally got a bookcase which I quickly filled with boxes of books we've had stored. It was so much fun going through them on day with Big J and reminiscing the days and nights when we read them or which ones were our favorites at different phases of his life.
Mike has been repainting the twin bed that will be in the room and in doing that has come to the conclusion that, "we have a baby coming in just a few short months and we have SO much to do!" hehehe...ya think!?! The good thing is that we are all in this together as a family and just enjoying the time preparing for our daughter and sister together.
Puppy Love. Just gotta tell ya how much I love my pups. Always a smile on my face because of them.
Referrals. Let's BRING them on!!!!
15 comments:
Great Post! xxoxoxo,me
I am so sorry to hear about your coworkers daughter....I am with you, I HATE CANCER TOO!!
Looks like you are ready for your referral....everything is in order!! Just need that picture of her smiling face and then it will be time to pack the bags!!
Enjoy your week!
Lisa
WOW.. great post... you have been soooo busy.. LOVE the flowers.. J is sure growing.. and soak it all up... you are sooo ready for "Little Miss What's her Name -Jennifer" can't wait to hear her BEAUTIFUL name... As for the attachment books .. I sooo need to get those and start reading..I hear they are amazing..
Love ya..
Oh my word! Your daughter room looks like my daughter's room. Have fun getting it set up!
I hate cancer, too! I mean, who the heck doesn't? I am so sorry to hear about your co-worker's recent loss. Cancer steals way too many, way too young. I still miss Rosie and think of her almost every day. It's hard not to with her front door staring me in the face. Sigh.
On the up side, y'all are nesting BIG TIME. It won't be long...
I am on pins and needles! So, so close. I can't WAIT to hear your baby's first name!!!
Re the wait: I was doing good with it until the past month. Now I am literally on pins and needles!
Re Cancer: I hate it too!!! My MIL who lives with us is in remission for non-hodgkins lymphoma and my first springer, Katie, had hemangiosarcoma which shortened her life by a lot. She died at a very young 9- the month after we started on this adoption journey.
ESRA rocks!!! Maggie has her tail and dew claws- I think whoever had her first used her as a hunting dog out in the country. She was picked up as a stray, pregnant and taken to one of the high kill shelters where she was pulled. She points beautifully and has even caught a bird. She has a really soft mouth- the bird was released unharmed... she won't even really chew on rawhides! But loves her walks! hee hee...
I can't wait to learn what the new name is! The suspense!!!
You know how I feel about cancer...
Lovely post! Can't wait to hear the new name. Hate cancer... it is such an aweful disease....
I am anxiously awaiting your referral!
We are just so busy this summer that I am taking a break from my blog. In Paradise,CA now and we were just at Lake Tahoe for a week. Lovely summer...
Hugs,
Jody
Her room looks like there is a great adventure ahead! Have fun fixing it up again! How exciting that you have chosen a new first name! It will be fun to see the big "reveal"!!
Changing her name? Wow... this has happened a lot. I think it's because the wait has gotten so long that we've had time to ponder it too much. LOL! I even thought about changing Mia's name a few times.
You're definitely nesting. Enjoy this last little bit before your life gets turned upside down... in a good way, of course. :)
You're being very secretive about HER name! Bring on the referrals and lots of them!
Alyzabeth's Mommy for Almost Eleven Months!
I love reading your posts. You are awesome!
Cancer is horrendous and I am so sorry for your friends loss.
Bring on da babies!!
Keep smilin!
Yes!! Let's bring on those referrals. We are getting there Kayce!!
What an awesome post! J has grown 3inches! wow! I love the dog pic.They are just too cute! Being an Oncology RN, I don't need to tell you how much I agree with your Cancer post.
Also, since you are reading books in prep for Jennifer, I was just referred to "Growing Children Gods Way" www.GFI.org. A family who is just inspirational gave me the site and said they used a lot of the recommendations. Thought you might want to check it out as well.
Have a great weekend!!
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