Looking Ahead

That’s what we have been trying to do. I posted about our appointments with the International Adoption Doctor and the pediatrician (one in August and one in September). Now Troy and I have signed up for the Pre-Adopt Class 2 in October at our Agency at the Brentwood, Tennessee location. We already attended the Pre-Adopt Class 1 and think it was one of the best things we have ever done. We learned so much and gathered a bunch of information that we are grateful to have. We are looking forward to attending that class. On a side note, my grandmother is in Nashville and we can combine the trip to see her as well which works out wonderfully for us.

With one appointment each month it gives us something to look forward to and helps make the waiting a little easier as we feel that we are using the time to prepare as much as we can. It also gives us short-term waiting goals which I find are very helpful in the process. Hmmm...now for November...referral maybe??

Old Times...

What a weekend!! I spent this past weekend with two of my college friends. We had such a nice time catching up. We even visited a winery on the Blue Ridge Parkway and the weather was fabulous. I needed the break from the internet and adoption talk. We stayed up to midnight (haven't seen midnight in a while!) both nights and were able to just sit around and chat. It's so good to have friends you may not see that often but when you do you can pick up just like it was yesterday.

Below is a picture of us from this weekend. Brennen, Sarah and I - I miss you girls already!!

Appointments

Yesterday was a busy adoption information day on many topics. Let’s see - I managed to bombard our agency’s email groups with not one, but two questions about traveling. I also managed to make two appointments concerning the adoption – the first with an International Adoption Doctor (IAD) located only 30 minutes away from us at a well known University, the second with a local pediatrician who also has some experience working with internationally adopted children. The appointments are in mid-August and early September, but I was glad to get them set up and out of the way. Those poor doctors aren’t going to know what hit them when I walk in with a million and one questions for them!!

One can never feel too prepared. At least that’s what I have been thinking. Of course I just know the moment I lay eyes on our son, I’m sure all my questions will fly out the window. Good thing we have a list from our agency of questions to ask. Thank goodness for those lists!!

Well, I’m off for a couple of days to visit with two of my college hallmates. We are spread out by about 3 hours each so the northern friend is picking me up and then we are traveling to our southernmost friend. Hopefully I’ll make it back without the three of us having gotten into too much trouble!! Troy said he wouldn’t hold his breath!! (We’re adults now right?!?!)

What To Do, What To Do????

All is quiet on the adoption front right now. Troy and I are putting in every effort to get the items done on our list as mentioned in a previous post and now moved to the sidebar so we can keep up with it. It’s like a challenge now since it’s posted – No way out of it!! We did manage to knock off #16 this weekend which was to replace our basement back door. I’m glad that’s done!! We also have an appointment to have 4 trees removed out of our backyard in 3 weeks. Looking forward to that. Well, not really, but it will help. We have a partially wooded back yard and the trees are everywhere not just in one spot so we are taking out the ones that are leaning and are going to limb the other trees ourselves to allow for more sunlight and hopefully more grass!!

I also added to my blog today and “Email Me!” link under our photo. Feel free to email me anytime. Thanks Becky for helping get the up and going!! Becky and Keith also decided on a region and their dossier will be sent to Krasnoyarsk this Friday – Congratulations!!

We are looking forward to hearing when Melissa and Nathan reach Vlad safely. I expect their blog will be hopping with great news soon.

This week I have a goal to finish scrapbooking vacation pictures from last year!! I am so far behind and need to get that caught up. So, I am taking a break from closets until at least that vacation is done!!

Hopefully we'll have more exciting news to post in the near future...

Adoption Update

I found out yesterday that there has been one referral since June for a child 18 months and younger in our region, Vlad. This is good news as that means we are one family closer to receiving our referral. While things are still moving slow, at least they are moving. It seems that there are also a lot of families waiting for court dates at this point also, but I believe they are for children mostly over the 18 month range.

I can’t believe 2 months have gone by already. Troy and I considered last Friday, July 6 as our two month mark as it was 8 weeks exactly from when our dossier was shipped to Russia, but technically, I suppose yesterday July 11 could also be considered the two month mark. Either way – we have made it past that mark!!

Please continue to pray for speedy referrals for not only us but for the children who need loving homes and for speedy court dates for the families ready to go back for their little ones.

Belated Happy Fourth and Here’s to Late (Very Late) Spring Cleaning!!

I am sorry I am so late saying Happy Fourth and I hope every one had a good time. As for us, I had told Troy I needed an activity where I could squeal and laugh and be silly so we went to the beach. Great idea!! Troy, my sister Cat, her hubby Joe and myself all took off for Virginia Beach for the day!! We had a blast. The water was so cold. Joe and I barreled in and Troy soon followed and then Joe had to get Cat and drag her in. Once we were in we stayed in for 2 and ½ hours because we knew once we got out we weren’t getting back in!! Enjoy the silly pictures at the bottom of the post!!

In other news, and more exciting news: Accreditations from Russia started coming in!! There were 8 agencies in the first batch (ours was not included). This is a great sign and we hope to hear that our agency is next!! It could be any day now!! We hope to see many more referrals and many long awaited court dates in the coming months.

Also, Congratulations to Melissa and Nathan who received their court date of July 20th in Vlad. They will soon be the proud parents of Little I.

And finally...I have to admit that after reading Becky and Keith’s blog and at her mention of cleaning out closets, I decided I hated our closet and made Troy help me take every piece of clothing, every pair of shoes, purses, etc. out of the closet. After scrutinizing every item before putting it back in to the closet we managed to set out a pile of clothes for a garage sale over 4 feet high AND I threw away three pairs of shoes. I was so brave. Then, last night I bought $45.00 worth of cleaning supplies and off we went. We scrubbed the bathroom, we vacuumed, we swept, mopped, you name it. Our house has never looked better, so when I was out of things to do...

We made a list!! A list of items to get done “Before We Go To Russia” and a list of things to do “In Between Trips To Russia”. I love lists. It gives me a goal. We used a huge piece of 12 x 12 scrapbooking paper and wrote each item in real big writing. (This way we can’t ignore it and we feel like we have accomplished more when we cross it off.) We even added things that we most likely can’t get done, but will motivate us anyhow.

They look something like this:

Note: Moved to sidebar to keep up with it. Bold items have not been done. Unbold or regular font items have been completed - Let's see how many items we add and how many we get done!


Cat and Joe ------------------------------- Troy and I


Cat and I --------------------------------Looking for a wave


Troy ------------------------------------- Wild Blue Yonder

TLC

Many of you may recognize Jerry from a previous post introducing our furry family members. Jerry is actually a dog I have been fostering from the shelter since sometime in late January. He was brought in by animal control. We don't know the actual circumstances but we know Jerry had been left chained to a pole outside. Jerry arrived in the shelter last October. He was terrified. Once in his kennel he would not come out. Neither volunteers nor staff could take him outside. So, they roped me into fostering him.

After 45 minutes of struggling with him to get him out of the kennel and into my car, off we went!! I had in the process scraped my hands on the asphalt of the parking lot holding on to him, strained every muscle in my back and arms trying to carry him (He weighs close to 50 pounds!), and had broken a sweat in cold weather. But he rode nice in the car and then we started all over again when we arrived at my house.

I won’t bore you with too many details but this is what we have endured. He would not go out and once out would not come in. He was terrified of a leash (from being choked on the chain before) and we would have to back him into a corner to hook him and then walk him outside. Once outside we had to leave the leash attached to him so we could catch him to bring him back in. Once in he would not come off the dog bed to eat or drink and we finally had to take the bowls to him. Troy could not get near him as Jerry would never growl or bite, but would back peddle so fast Troy was horrified he would give the dog a heart attack.

Weeks went by and Jerry got better. Months have now gone by and the improvements in Jerry are immense. Troy can now pet Jerry and sometimes play tug of war with him. Jerry has discovered he can bark. We weren’t sure if he could or not and the first time he barked it was so hoarse we were afraid he had a permanent injury. Well, he barks now!! Still sounds a little funny but he fits right in!! He will go in and out with no problem and will even go by himself. We have inched the food bowl back into the kitchen and the water bowl is no longer by his dog bed, but he prefers to drink outside. He will sit with a simple hand motion and he snores!!! He still has a few issues and will jump at unexpected sounds and still will shy away from Troy at times, but he is so much better!!

I need to say a thank you to Troy, my wonderful husband who has let me keep Jerry and knows I intend to adopt him. With four animals already, he has been a great sport!!

I am posting a before and after picture of Jerry. You will see his hair has gotten thicker and his whiskers have grown back in. I know I promised at the top of my blog that our newest member of the family would not be 4-legged or furry, but I am pretty sure he will be!!

So with a little TLC you can achieve anything!!


Before
After