Stolen: The Space I Used to Have in My Back Seat of my car

Did I tell you that someone, (really something) somehow stole the space I used to have in my back seat? It's gone!!!!! Taken up by a nice new car seat, designed to keep Macy safe. Those that know me, know I have a small car, a 5 speed, 2 door, small car. The kind where you have to climb into the back seat. A great car if you are single and do not really need the back seat. Well, a week or so ago, my sister Kathy was being very nice to me and she installed the car seat for Macy. Well, now I have no back seat. The car seat fits great, in that I can put both front seats all the way back and they do not hit the car seat, but whoever said that my car could have 3 in the back never tried it with a car seat. Only a child can now sit comfortably in the back as there is NO room left. I have started putting my groceries in the trunk. I used to put them on the back seat, but can't do that anymore, one bag maybe........... Getting Macy in and out will be a nice trick. I think I need to start practicing by playing the twister game. When she is a bit older and the car seat can face front I think it will be easier, but the 1st few months home I will have to practice swearing under my breath whenever I have to crawl into the back, holding her and somehow get her strapped in. Maybe I can borrow a VAN for a couple of months.

A Beautiful Saturday

Today was a beautiful warm spring day. The kind of day you just love. It was a good day all around. My 2 sister's and their hubby's were here for lunch. It is not very often all 3 of us girls can get together so it was a special treat. Sandy and John live outside Ottawa and Kathy and Ron live in London, so we are not exactly around the corner from each other.
Nothing too drastic new in the adoption story this week. I got a call from CB to let me know the extension for my Letter of Approval arrived at CB. Yahoo, (I have had this same letter update a few times before) The children were scheduled to have their Immigration Medicals yesterday, I hope and assume that happened. Cathy from CB is hoping our LOI's come soon, but soon is kind of a relevant term for me at this point. It is kind of hard to get too excited until I know the paper is actually in someones hand. One good thing coming from the delay in travel is that I know for sure I am off the entire summer with Macy. We can play in the yard, walk along the river, and nap on the deck. It will be an AWESOME summer.

Another Week

Another week as has flown by. It's officially spring according to the calendar, if not by the weather, so soon the days will be warmer. I'm excited to know I get to spend the summer off work, enjoying the time with Macy. The children were scheduled to have immigration medicals last Tuesday, but we have been told the medicals have been rescheduled to this Friday as some of the children had colds. So..... we continue to wait.

It's Time for a Different Attitude

So, I've had a change of heart, NO, NOT about the adoption, but about the whole waiting thing. My whole life I have tried to have the attitude that we need to enjoy life. I have never liked the feeling of being in limbo while waiting for things to happen, so I have tried to have the attitude that I need to enjoy and experience today, as today is only here once. I realized something this week, the past few months I have somehow lost that attitude. It got all mixed up in this anxiety producing wait. The wait for match. The wait for referral, and now the wait for a travel date. But I lost part of me somehow in all of this. And as I lost myself in this "rush" to the end, I forgot to enjoy the journey. I forgot to enjoy today. The past couple of weeks myself and others in my travel group have been asked to redo and update several of our documents related to the adoption. I know that each new piece of paper they ask for, pushes our travel date into the future. Each day I knew I was becoming more and more stressed over it. I fretted over it, I fretted over the whole OHIP issue and I fretted over the Citizenship issue, I fretted that Macy is getting a day older for each day I do not get to hold her. But................. it's out of my hands, all I can do is update and resend everything they ask for......................
This morning I woke up with a different perspective. I need to get back to enjoying the journey. Enjoy today. Yesterday I had a wonderful day with my sister Kathy, we went for lunch, shopped a little, chatted lots and travelled to Mississauga to spend some time with a very nice couple who will also be travelling to Vietnam to receive their daughter. A great day.
The wait is still there. Do I want the wait to be over? Of course! Do I want Macy here now? Of Course! But, in the mean time life goes on, work continues, bills get paid, and Yes I do expect CB to ask us to update/renew something else.

No New News

We have not received our Invitation to Travel, so I'm still waiting, some days with patience, some not. There is a rumour that the children will be traveling to Hanoi on Tuesday to have Immigration medicals completed. We MAY get updated photos and updated medical information. Height, weight etc included. Hopefully Vietnam will not request any further updated paperwork and hopefully the fact that the girls are having their medicals is good news and the elusive LOI's arrive this week. I'm feeling positive.

More Pics

This does not show Macy's face but it does show that she is not a big as I thought she was. She actually seems quite tiny bedside the Nanny. I am hoping we hear in the next day or so about our travel date. It would be great to share a travel date with the other mommies at the Mommies in Waiting dinner this Friday.

Macy in Pink

Today was wonderful. I was thrilled with the unexpected wonderful surprise of 5 new pictures of Macy. Thank you so very much Bev for your efforts and generous nature. You went out of your way to arrange for this to happen, and to give me this wonderful gift. The wait for my Invitation to Travel just got a little bit easier.

UPS again

Well, I just got back from sending off the paperwork that Vietnam requested. Hopefully that is it. I'm hoping they do not request anything else we have previously sent. Wonderful news today, Referrals from the South. Congrats to M and her family on their referral of a baby girl.

Wonderful Evening but More Paperwork

Last evening I was fortunate to be able to connect with several other families in the Vietnam program. We met at B's place and had a wonderful few hours of chatter and refreshment. 6 adults and 3 beautiful, entertaining children. B and L were wonderful fountains of information of what to expect during our upcoming travel to Hanoi and Hai Duong.
It was a bit of a let down to arrive home and find an email from CB informing us that Vietnam is requesting more paperwork be filled out and sent before our LOI's are released. It would seem safe to say our LOI's are going to be a bit longer than we hoped........ But I know my LOI and my travel time are getting closer.