Monday, October 22, 2007

A Change in the Title

On Friday I should I have posted a blog entry entitled “Eleven Years Ago Today…”

Instead, today I title this “Eleven Years Ago This Past Friday, I Married Troy!!”

Yes – you heard me right – Troy and I have been married 11 years as of October 19, 2007. We didn’t know each other long when we married (only 7 months) but we knew we were gonna make it!!

This past year has been a very exciting, trying and wonderful year. Troy has proven his love this year to me like no other. He has listened to me through every emotion this adoption has brought on, (those of you out there in the same shoes – you KNOW what I mean!!), he has been an amazing help to my parents (and me) in helping them move to a smaller place, closer to us, as my dad is not well, he mowed their grass every other weekend this past summer and moved stuff galore, and as you know by my last post he was a trooper for me when I was in the hospital. I am lucky to have him.

In adoption news, I finally called my local rep on Friday and we had a very nice conversation about the goings on with our agency. We still have a wait in front of us, but good things come to those who wait, right? I just know you are reading this giving me back a resounding “RIGHT”!! I also talked with our coordinator in the St. Louis office and we had a good conversation as well. We feel at this point that we are in the best position we can be in right now.

Here’s to anniversaries and adoption news!! (Hopefully more adoption news before the next anniversary!!)

Finally, thanks for all the well wishes left for me. I am finally feeling on the mend and hope to head back to work this week for a couple of half days to see if I can make the drive and hang out at work for a few hours without being exhausted, and then back to the grind next week.

Thursday, October 18, 2007

Out of Commission

Remember this…

As part of our 10 Things You May or May Not Know About Troy and I that we posted a few months ago, number 3 read as follows:

3. We look for emergency rooms as a joke now when we travel – this is for Troy (broken ribs from a flipped 4-wheeler), (stung by a catfish in Florida), (deer antler through foot – don’t ask). Just to name a few!! We joke that we are on retainer at the local emergency room and have our own parking spot.

Well this time we need to change the part that says –‘this is for Troy’.

Some of you may have noticed that we are missing from the photos of lunch at Chili’s in Nashville with our blog friends Adrienne & Jim, Carrie & Michael, Becky & Keith and Carey & Norman.

That’s because I was in the Emergency Room at Vanderbilt first thing Friday morning after having severe stomach and back pain Thursday night. By 1 pm Friday I was being prepped for surgery and by late afternoon my gallbladder had been removed. For someone who never goes to the Dr., unless forced, and someone who hasn’t been in the hospital for medical reasons, since she was three, this came as quite a shock.

Troy was a real trooper through all of this. He insisted on sending the night in my hospital room and helping me up every time I needed to get up which was pretty often, thanks to the IV pumping so much liquid into me. He had flowers sent to my room and while I was still in recovery he delivered a stuffed Shar-pei to me which I held onto by its tail the entire time I was in recovery and in the hospital.

I was so sad not to get to go the Pre-Adopt Class and also not to see my blogger friends. But...surprise, Becky and Keith and Carey and Norman came to my hospital room Saturday mid morning and spent some time with me. I was so happy to finally meet them and it was so nice to have some company being as far away from home as we were.

I was able to leave the hospital Saturday late afternoon and Sunday morning Becky and Keith brought bagels and cream cheese to our hotel room and we were able to chat. I was so glad to get to spend some time with them outside of the hospital. It does feel like chatting with an old friend!

To everyone who has checked on me – thank you!! I am sorry I have been so long blogging. I had a few decent days, then two bad days and today has been decent. I am hopeful to start back to work the middle of next week for half days, but so far I can’t sit up more than 20 or so minutes at a time without pillows. This one post has taken me three days to write!! I’ll try to update again soon.

Monday, October 8, 2007

Another Baby Milestone

This coming weekend marks yet another Baby Milestone on our path to parenthood. We are headed to Nashville on Thursday to attend CHI’s Pre-Adopt Class 2 on Saturday. No, it doesn't take 2 days to get there, but it does take two days to visit my grandmother and of course the Bass Pro shop for Troy!! We loved the Pre-Adopt Class 1 and can’t wait to hear what this class has to offer. We also get a chance to meet our blog friends Keith & Becky, Jim & Adrienne, Michael & Carrie and Norman & Carey. We are also hoping to be able to meet Coby & Brandy, if they can make it. I know we’ll have a good time.

Now that we have almost reached this Baby Milestone we need to come up with a few more. We’ve had basically one a month and had hoped at this point to be closer to referral than we are, so we don't have anymore planned. I’ll have to get to work on setting more Baby Milestones for us.

Oh – well I do have my second Hepatitis vaccination on November 9th- Yippee – Uh, not really!! I guess it will count though – any port in the storm!! I will REALLY, REALLY be working on those milestones soon!!

Monday, October 1, 2007

Please Welcome

Jerry Williams to our family. Jerry became a permanent member of our family Saturday as I finally officially adopted him!! He’s been in foster with us since last March and well, I just can’t give him up!! He’s come such a long way from being so terrified to now as my brother-in-law, Stephen, aptly said, “Cautious, but not scared.”

I sure the love the darn dog!! We are now at 3 dogs, 2 cats and I am forbidden to foster any more animals. I think Troy wants me to quit my weekend stints at the SPCA, but that’s not happening!! Thanks honey – for allowing yet another four legged baby into our home!!

Jerry chillin'
Jerry sleeping on Ruby - one eye always open to see what's happening!
On his dog bed (well, chair he adopted next to my side of the bed)