Not Much New

This post is about exactly what the title means. There just isn’t much new to report. Still waiting. Waiting for a referral. Waiting for accreditation. Waiting for the day we meet our son and the day we bring him home. We’ve been waiting a tad over 6 months now since our dossier went to Russia and it’s been over a year since we started the process.

I did get my second Hepatitis shot last week and that was no fun. Then the nurse tried to talk me into a flu shot and a booster for Parvo even though I had that stuff before I went to college. I held my arms close to me and said, “No thanks!”

Becky and Carey have inspired me to look at bedding this week and we think we may have chosen a set. Originally we were going with a puppy theme, but then I decided that with three dogs all ready, we may overwhelm our child with puppyness and wanted them to have a break from the dogs in their own bedroom. Besides that, Troy created ceiling fan pulls from fishing lures which he cut the hooks off of, so I think that may have been a hint.

So, here is the set we are thinking of. We would get the four piece set and there is also a matching lamp and valance we would get as well. Let me know what you think!

Tagged, Etc.

I feel like I have been so out of the loop lately with the adoption world. This is not necessarily a bad thing as I just realized that we are closing in on 6 months of waiting for a referral and I’m not even sure where the last month has gone. Hopefully time will continue to fly by until referral. I did check in with our agency today and received some positive news about the goings on in the adoption world. I also realized that Troy and I need to update our homestudy regarding a change in job for Troy and also some additional forms that may go along with that. That will keep me busy the next few days!!

Meanwhile I was tagged by Joy to list 8 random things about me. So here goes:

8 Random Things About Me (don’t laugh!!)

1. I have a seriously huge collection of My Little Pony’s from the 80’s. I also have been collecting the current ones as well.

2. I can’t sing or clap to a beat, but I marched (on beat) with the high marching band as a flag girl and I loved every minute of it!

3. I can only cook a few things well. Troy does most of the cooking.

4. I listen to audio books on CD in the car on my commute to work. I especially love the Janet Evanovich Stephanie Plum series. Oh, and I still like to read an old Harlequin every now and again.

5. I like to cross-stitch but am famous for starting one project before finishing another and have a whole bin of unfinished projects. (I should start working on those!!)

6. I was voted Most Friendliest Female my senior year in high school.

7. I wouldn’t trade Troy for the world, but I miss living in my dorm room at college surrounded by all my friends. It’s hard to keep up with everyone now.

8. I can’t wait to be a mom. There was a time I thought I might never want kids until I met Troy and knew right away I wanted to start a family with him. It’s amazing what the right man can do to you!! We can’t wait to be parents!

Well, I can’t tell who has already been tagged, but I’m going to tag Mandy on this one!! Hope you don’t mind!!

Sad News

When Troy and I first started this blog we decided that we would try to keep any negative news out of it so that when our son read our blog it would only be filled with happiness. We feel that out of necessity, however, we must share this bit of sad news with everyone as it will forever affect us and our son.

It is with great sadness, that I write, that my father Daniel Alexander passed away on Tuesday. We are so happy he has become one of God’s angels, but will miss him forever.

I’d like to tell you some of my favorite memories of my father, if you would like to hear them.

When I was a child my dad would run down the hall chasing me yelling “I’m mean and I’m green” (pretending he was the Incredible Hulk) and wrestle with me and tickle me like crazy. I would scream and scream “Help!!” for my mom and she would just laugh and say, “You got yourself into the mess, you have to get yourself out of the mess.”

Every summer for many years, my dad and I would take off from Orlando, FL (where I grew up) and drive all the way to Trenton, TN to visit my grandmother. Along the way we played the “Gas Station Game”. We would each pick 3 major gas stations and count them on the 13 hour trek. The trick to the game is you actually have to see the gas station off the interstate, so as you can imagine, we spent a lot of time denying seeing the others gas stations!! All in good fun of course.

Most recently, my dad and I became hooked on playing Jeopardy and watching Survivor. Since season 2 of Survivor, every Thursday night, with an occasional exception, I would go and have dinner at my parents and my dad and I would play Jeopardy. Now you need to know my dad was a history major at Washington & Lee University and he knew EVERYTHING!! Playing with him was pretty amusing as the only times I even had a prayer was teen week when the categories were ‘pop music’ or ‘5th grade math’. (You get the idea!!) Now every once in a blue moon I would have a good night, but no matter what after the first round when it was announced who would go first in Double Jeopardy (the lowest score) my dad would call out my name!! It was always, “And Rachel goes first in Double Jeopardy!” and of course I would try to argue my points to no avail. We even had a silly ‘song’ we sang each time a daily double popped on the screen!! It was quite hilarious. After Jeopardy we would watch Survivor and bet on who would be voted off. We had so much fun.

One more thing I am so happy about is that some months ago Troy and I decided that we would name our son Daniel after my father as we knew he would not be with us forever. We were planning to keep it a secret (and yes, this is the first time I have posted the name on the blog) but my big mouth just couldn’t do it and one Thursday night, when my dad was feeling good, I told him. He looked so proud and surprised and happy all at the same time and he couldn’t even say a whole lot to me the rest of the night. I just know he has already met our son and is keeping watch over him now.

I miss him so much.

Wedding day next to my mom and dad - 1996

My dad and mom at Lake Michigan, in Wisconsin, 2004 (one of my favorite photos!!)

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.

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.

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!!

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)