Dear Friends of Waiting Adoptive Moms . .

Neat article, please read, it's so very true. Just click on this link:   http://www.huffingtonpost.com/wymsel-/dear-friends-of-waiting-adoptive-moms_b_3795132.html

Rumors!!!!! What a wild ride!

Well, rumors of the next cut-off date began about two weeks ago, some were saying the 13^th, others possibly the 16^th.  I tend to be cautious and go with the 13^th, and supposedly an agency received referrals last week through the 13^th but no one has shared any info yet to confirm this, ie, pics of babies or referral info.  Our facebook buddies in Europe haven’t seen anything either but are hearing similar rumors.  Now today, rumors are buzzing about the 16^th or the 22^nd!  Geesh!  Still nothing concrete.   Some agencies have contacted their next group of parents to obtain additional info in seeming anticipation of a referral.  Guess we wait and watch, its’ been nearly two weeks since the first rumors started flying, so I guess that’s why they call them rumors.   In some ways I’m sorta glad we’re not expecting a referral in this batch  because this up and down stuff has been maddening for so many.  Yet, I’ve been stalking all our usual internet sites multiple multiple multiple times a day just to get the latest.  I’m so anxious for these next referrals, then we’ll have an even better idea of how the next few months are gonna look. We’ll know if we’re next next next next or possibly just next next! 

Feeling very anxious today . . .

It’s not exactly time for any rumors to surface yet but some friends on our facebook group in Europe are hearing the possibility of the 16^th as the cut-off.  Oh my, that’s a huge jump covering 10 days and several families in our group.  Whoo, I can hardly breathe when I think about it.  I don’t look for referrals to make it that far; not that I’m being pessimistic, just realistic.  I really think the cut-off will be some where around the 10^th or 12^th .  But IF they do make it that far, the 16^th, then that puts us a WHOLE lot closer.  Woo Wee.  They say that the last few months of waiting are so much more difficult and I’m starting to see its true.  We are so close yet could be as much as 6 months away.  Wow, how does one process that?!  21 log-in-days but potentially 6 months to make it there,.  I’m at least thankful that the next few months offer some holidays as distractions; and we have  fun things planned in the upcoming  months.  I’ve been reading more about the country and attachment/ development and I  need to learn a little more Chinese.      Lots to do!!!!!

80 Months Pregnant!

We celebrated today with a little trip to Toys "R Us and purchased this fella. Except, technically we bought it at Target because TRU was out of them.  They were able to price match so we got "potato head" for $3.18, pretty cool. 

Pawprints and Fingerprints

As you know from yesterday’s post, today is actually the anniversary of Meeka’s  passing.  I had been secretly dreading this time  but going about daily stuff and continuing all things necessary for the adoption.  Well,  we were expecting to receive our fingerprint appointments for immigration and received them on the 12^th.  I took them out of the envelopes as we each receive a separate notice and was checking the dates and times to make sure they coincide.  (Immigration doesn’t give you a choice, you take what they give but it’s always best when they schedule the same day- one time they didn’t and its such a long drive we had to stay the night and miss two days of work, anyway . . . . )  I was looking at the dates and realized it was July 24^th.  July 24^th.  Why does that day seem important?  Just then I realized.  The day I had dreaded, not knowing how I would spend it and what I would do, God took care of it.  In His simple way (although huge to me) God revealed to me that He is still present  in the small stuff and He knew this would make a difference for me today.  Do I believe it’s coincidence, NO, I believe there’s a  bigger Connection.

. . . Today . . .

Today marks the day our sweet Meeka dog went to Heaven last year.  She passed from here on the 24^th of July which is actually tomorrow but today is Tuesday and that’s the last day we had with her so she’s heavy on my mind today.  I have been dreading this day for many months now, not knowing how to commemorate it and not knowing how I would even manage to function to be honest. 

She was such a special girl to us and always will be.    I’m finding myself feeling fairly strong today, until now.  As I stop to write this I realize I could type forever and never share everything about her,  and I realize some  things are just meant for my memory anyway.  It has been  my prayer that my memory holds her dear and I recall little things about her on a daily basis, things that bring a smile.  I've also prayed that I’m not flooded with sadness when I think of her. I still remember her smell and the rhythm of her drinking water. 

Charm from her collar

 Meeka Jo was a one –of-a –kind and will never be replaced.  She had such a  sweet spirit and so easy-going.  Her little life was burdened by sickness, skin issues, ear infections, and lastly a brain tumor.  Those are the hard things to think about.  I know we cared for and doctored her to the utmost of our ability, and I know we did all we could humanely do.  The treatment was tough for her sometimes but she was always so compliant unless she was just too uncomfy. She was a lot less resistant than you’d expect.  The doctors even said she didn’t  seem depressed and she just “accepted it and went with it”.  They even said that in the last exams she “seemed to enjoy everything she was asked  to do” .  

That’s our Meeka Jo! 

 She came to us young and needed a Mommy as much as I needed someone to nurture.  Meeka adapted easily to our lifestyle once we figured out how to be puppy parents. She taught us a lot of things, one of those things was that blood doesn’t make a family.  Whether you have skin or you’re fur covered, LOVE runs deep!  She served a role and we needed her as much as she needed us.  She  helped us through some tough years and  changes, as well as decisions too.  She traveled with us as far as she could go and  her purpose was fulfilled.  We love our Meeka dog and always will.   

November 6th!!!!!

No, I realize it’s July but in the adoption world it’s November 6^th, 2006.  Yippeee! That means we are 21 log-in days away from CCCWA reaching our LID of 11-27-06.  So that means we are probably not next, next, but next, next in the  line up of referrals! Woowoo, they have finally made it to November.  It’s been so long as we’ve watched the months creep by.  I remember watching as March 2006 was referred over a period of 7-8-9  months, maybe more, shoot I can't remember  now.  I tried to block it out- it was very painful to endure. 

Now we are finally in the month of November and ironically, the 15th of this month marked 6 years for us mailing off our application and paperwork to immigration for the very first time.  And it was 6 years later to the day, CCCWA began referring November families- WOW, it sure has been a long 10-12 month referral time frame. I thought the zodiac was the only difference between our calendar and the Chinese calendar.  They must count their days and months a little differently than we do, hee hee. 

In May the CCCWA changed their computer system and so there haven’t been any referrals since April.  Those poor families that were “up next” have been waiting all of May and June and not known when the computer system would be working properly.  But their day finally arrived and phone calls were finally made all over the US, Canada, and Europe matching families to their precious babies.  Congratulations Everyone!!