FRUSTRATED

I'm frustrated. Totally frustrated. I just heard today that the USCIS will give everyone one free extension on their immigration approval (not sure for how long, but hey it's free). I JUST mailed my application and money out on FRIDAY!! I at first thought that I might be able to get a refund, but this is for applications mailed out AFTER July 30, 2007.....I mailed mine on FRIDAY!! I guess that if you still have a valid I171H you can take advantage of the free one time extension as long as your approval is valid AFTER July 30, 2007.....Mine expires July 17Th. This is GREAT news for some, crappy news for others ($545 crappy). I was at least a little bit happy that I wouldn't get my money back because we didn't qualify, not because I mailed it 4 days too soon. Also, the rumors are now showing a 6 day referral batch at best. Never getting on this stupid roller coaster again. Never. Had a great weekend at the lake. I'll post some pictures after I get back out of my foul mood.

I edited this post. It is for everyone with a valid I171H AFTER July 30th, not the 31st. I just ate a HUGE sundae....Mood still foul. Mood will be even more foul after I get on the scale tomorrow.

Another edit: YOU MUST NOT LET YOUR CURRENT I-171H EXPIRE OR YOU CANNOT
GET THE EXTENSION. IT WILL BE KIND OF TRICKY FOR THOSE THAT EXPIRE AROUND JULY 30 OR JULY 31. CAN YOU SAY.....OVERNIGHT DELIVERY?!

TIME AWAY

Jeff took today off work (very rare) and we will be spending the next 4 days up-north at the lake. 4 kids (Hope's bringing a friend) and 4 dogs in a travel trailer....I might need another vacation when I get back! Hope everyone has a GREAT weekend.....See ya on the flip side.

MY THOUGHTS FOR TODAY

• Should I mail my stuff off to immigration today or wait awhile. We wouldn't have to re-do this paperwork a third time, would we? Nah, I'll just pop it in the mail.
  
• I need to go to the mall today and find some shirts that hide my back fat. Should I go to Woodland or Rivertown. Hmmmm. Mary said I should try Ann Taylor's Attic....Gosh, I just don't know where I belong anymore....I'm getting too old for the Gap and too young for Eddie Bauer (shut up). Where to go....Where to go.
  
• Oh my gawd, how could these pants be too tight. I wore the same exact pair yesterday in another color....Could my butt have grown during the night? Nah, they must have shrunk.
  
• Where should Ian and I eat for lunch today....Hmmm, I really would like to stop at Famous Daves or Fridays. I'll ask Ian. Famous Daves has that really good cornbread. I'll tell Ian that we're going to Famous Daves.
  
• I need to get our taxes done. Wait, I have until August. Shoot, what if the USCIS makes me get them done because they need to see last years return. Why am I so lazy about doing these....I think we actually might get a refund this year. Ahhh, I'll just wait and see if they make me do them or not.
  
• Man, I wonder if Blake can pull it off tonight. I'm scared. I really like Jordin, but I'm pulling for Blake because Ian will cry. I hate seeing Ian sad.
  
• Why is the weather so nice today and the weekend looks cold. That just figures. Should we take the boat up this weekend or leave it in the driveway.
  
• Man, I'm glad Hope's softball is over. I wonder if she will play next year or if we will be in China then. When are we going to China. I bet it will be in May when it will be the hardest for the kids to miss school.
  
• I better call the office and tell them to get a money order for me for USCIS. That just bites having to pay that again. I shouldn't have to pay a third time....Nah, just mail it out.
  
• When will my hair be long enough to pull it all back in a pony?!! These darn little short hairs! AHHHH!
  
• Is this damn foot wart EVER going to die??? I still see seeds!!! I'll never get a pedicure. I'm just destined to have ugly thick feet. Back fat and thick feet....Oh and a big butt. I'll diet tomorrow.
  

AVA'S QUILT

I finally decided on a pattern for Ava's quilt and have successfully collected over a hundred squares. I also found someone that is going to put the quilt together for us. You really didn't think that I was going to do it myself? Anyhoo, I spoke with the quilt lady (she will be known as QL from here on out) last week and the conversation went something like this:

Me: Did you take a look at the pattern?

QL: Yes.

Me: Do you think it is very difficult to make?

QL: No.

Me: Great! I'll bring you the squares next week. I'm so excited!!!!!!

QL: Yes, you may not have a baby, but you will have a beautiful quilt.

Me: hahaha (kind of fake like). Yes, I guess you don't have to rush to get it done or anything.

Now for the part that I was thinking in head: Listen up, QL, you're darn lucky that I don't throw you to the ground right here and rip every patch off your quilt jacket with my teeth. If you didn't have such a bad back, I swear I would do it. Oh crap, I can't throw her to the ground....I have to get fingerprinted again! Oh, she is darn lucky that I can't risk an arrest....Darn lucky. If I can't throw her down, I'd gladly pay extra to keep comments like that to herself. Just be quiet and make the quilt already! Sigh.

QL: See you next week.

Me: Sounds good. Bye.

7 THINGS ABOUT ME YOU DIDN'T KNOW

I've seen this on a few blogs and thought it was cute and decided to play along.....I also have nothing else to blog about. (It was either this or pictures of Ava's closet.)

1. I was once signed up to go to flight attendant school in Florida.....It's good I decided against it since I'm now such a chicken to fly. Don't know how I'm going to handle the flight to China, but I know that I will do anything to get to my little girl!
   


2. I was married once before when I was 19. When I was in the church on my wedding day the only thing I could think of was........How do I get out of here?????? The marriage ended 3 years later. I know, it surprised me too. =)
   


3. The first time I ever heard Jeff's voice on the phone, he was calling my place of employment to say he was lost on his way to a job interview there. I put him on hold and turned to my boss and said........Well, this one sounds like a real winner!!!!
   


4. Jeff and I dated in secret for 11 months because dating staff members was a BIG no no. We had to come clean after the engagement.
   


5. I believe in past lives. I think you keep going around again until you get it right. I think I'm on my last go around......Jeff thinks I might be back.
   


6. I can only sleep on my left side, with my left leg tucked up to my chest and my right leg straight. I've decided to be cremated because the thought of spending eternity on my back is more than I can handle.
   


7. I'm a control freak, but I'm slowly learning that some things are beyond my control. This is probably one of the reasons that Jeff thinks that I'll be coming around again.
   
   

GOING UP

I haven't made the decision to board the rumor rollercoaster this month or not. The news this month is that there is going to be a big ole' batch of referrals this time.....We're talking 14-21 days worth!!! Usually, I'm one of the first ones to jump on the ride. Not. This. Time. I WANT to believe.......However, I'm still feeling the burn from the 2 day batch (the one where a few new words were added to my vocabulary). IF they can make it this far into November......Oh my gosh, we will be in China MUCH sooner than I thought! December, January and February are MUCH smaller months and our LID is at the beginning of March!!!!! Awww heck, let me on the ride! Buckle up and keep your hands inside the ride at all times! Going up.........

AMERICA VOTED.......

Blake's beat boxing ability kept him SAFE for another week! I was so proud of Ian (he had a few tears starting to well up, but nothing like last week!) for the way he handled himself tonight. He didn't even get angry at me when I yelled, "WHAT???!!" when Melinda was given the boot. I'm starting to wonder if Mr. Lewis has what it takes to win this thing. Did you notice all his screaming fans? Some people are sick of Blake's beat boxing ability, but I guess YOU must be in the minority......America voted!

I'M GETTING NERVOUS!

I'm almost too nervous to watch tonight. You see, someone in our family is the BIGGEST Blake fan EVER (I know what you're thinking....No, it's not Jeff) and that someone is only six years old. Ian will TOTALLY take it personal if Blake gets the boot tonight. If he catches anyone saying something nice about one of the other singers, he says......."AHHHHH HA, I KNEW you didn't like Blake" and then the tears come. So, our family is hoping that Blake makes it another week. Man, I thought Jordin was my favorite, but Melinda did a great job last night. Ssshhh, don't tell Ian.....Comments like that are said in whispers around our house!

SADNESS

Have you guys noticed some of the best blogs are no more? My blogroll is getting shorter and shorter. In the beginning (We're talking WAAAAAAY back....when the wait was still 6 months) I followed WAY too many blogs. I found that I accomplished just about enough to function from day to day.....Everyone was fed and had clean underwear, isn't that enough? I guess the family didn't think so. Then I decided I better scale things back and "try" to only follow just a few blogs. I'm thinking that with so many people leaving, I'm going to have to start adding to my blogroll again! It's just so sad to see all these people leave. You get used to checking in on them everyday and then WHAM....Gone! Sadness.

COFFEE WITH THE SOCIAL WORKER

I just finished getting all the paperwork done again for China (for those that don't know...It's all expiring because it's taking so long) and met with our social worker this morning. We haven't seen her since October, 2005. Needless to say, Ian doesn't remember her coming to the house before. I explained to him this morning that we were meeting her at a restaurant. I told him that she is a lady that writes a letter about us and tells China if we would be good parents for Ava or not.

The social worker and I spent about an hour going over the paperwork this morning. I even admitted that I have gained weight when we got to that question. Sigh. Ian was busy coloring and eating during most of the meeting. At one point, I looked over at him and he looked like he was going to cry. I asked him if he was alright (I thought maybe he had bit his tongue or something) and he said he was. After the social worker had left, Ian whispered to me...."How did we do?" He wants his little sister SO badly and wanted to make a good impression! I asked him why he looked like he was going to cry during the meeting. Ian said, "I was so scared that she wouldn't let Ava come and live with us!" I have the most WONDERFUL and AMAZING little boy!

2 MONTHS OF SECRET PAL GIFTS

I'm 99.9% sure that I have another post on my blog with the same title. I'm SO bad about posting my secret pal gifts! Sorry, SP. I'm going to start with last month first. My secret pal sent this cute basket filled with treats for the ENTIRE family. She had it filled with candy for everyone, dog bones for the dogs and cat treats for the cats! I have to say....Those dove chocolates were gone so fast (you all remember the 2 day referral batch...Yep, that's when they arrived)! Yummy! I'm sorry for the picture of the empty basket...Trust me, it was FILLED with goodies! All the pets want to tell you THANKS for thinking of them!

My secret pal also sent this cute little outfit for Ava. I know, this is beyond adorable!

This month my secret pal sent this book to me for Mother's Day. I opened the cover and noticed that my SP wrote that the book is to me from Ava for Mother's Day, 2007. Man, talk about instant tears! I will treasure this book always.

I don't know if you guys remember the necklace my SP sent a couple months ago, but she sent me the matching earrings! Thank you!! I wanted to tell you that I get TONS of compliments on the necklace!

My SP also sent this ADORABLE piggy plate, cup and utensils for Ava! How did you know that I have gone NUTS over anything pig related??? I suspect that Ava will be born in the Year of the Pig....Need I say more? Jeff saw me unwrap the piggy plate and saw my HUGE smile! He said, "Man, that SP swap must be worth it to get a smile like that out of you!" Thanks for making me smile!

I sure hope I haven't forgotten anything! SP, I hope you have a wonderful Mother's Day too!

14 MONTH LID ANNIVERSARY

Another month closer.

SOME AGENCY WEBSITE

It's no wonder why there are still so many people starting their paperwork for China. Look at what I found on an agency website (not MY agency...Thank goodness). I removed the name of the agency (to protect the guilty). 14-16 month wait? They expect things to speed up? Do they mention the 25,000 to 30,000 dossiers that are currently on backlog? Do they mention that the CCAA referred only about 430 babies this last batch (per RQ)? My 14 month LID anniversary is next week....I best start getting ready!!.......NOT!

HERE IS WHAT THEY SAID:
When the necessary dossier documents are completed, Full Of Crap Agency will Express Mail everything to our staff in China to be translated and then submitted to the CCAA in Beijing. In just about 14 to 16 months you will be matched with a precious Chinese baby or toddler. (We anticipate this referral time to shorten due to the new parent requirements.) Once a child is referred to your family, several photos, a medical report, and an acceptance document will be sent to you. You are to sign the enclosed acceptance document and return it to us immediately. We forward it to China, and you can anticipate traveling about one month later to receive your child.

DREAMS

This past weekend I had a very vivid dream about receiving our referral. We were in a large room and there were people sitting at a desk. They would read off the information about your referral to a room full of anxious parents. The funny part is that we had someone with us that could translate, but everyone was speaking English. They told us that we had a little girl and when they were talking about her health, they mentioned that she had an extra digit. I think that I probably dreamed that part because we had put in for a child on a waiting child list last year that fit that description. I have never forgotten that little ones face, so I'm not surprised she would be part of my dream. I remember looking at a piece of paper and I could clearly see that she was 8 1/2 months old and her birthday was in May of this year. I think it was May 23, but that part is a bit faint. It's a possibility that it is in line with the current projections on when we may receive our referral. We shall see.

REFERRAL HISTORY

Tracy, this post is for you. You thought the smallest batch in the past was 4 days, but it was 5. How can you doubt a RQ addict?

We started our adoption paperwork in August, 2005. If you will notice, that's when everything started to fall apart. I bet they would still be referring 30 days, if WE didn't decide to get in line! Sorry folks!

GUESS WHO IS IN THIS BATCH!

Hannah is!!! Congratulations to Colleen & Jim who will soon be seeing Hannah's picture for the first time on Monday! They missed the cut off last month by 2 stinkin' days. It was the first time EVER that the CCAA had sent out a 2 day batch in the history of IA (a 5 day batch happened last year & we thought it could never get worse than that....WRONGO). Colleen & Jim had to wait another month to receive their referral. I'm sure after they see Hannah's sweet face, they will know that missing the last batch all happened for a reason! Congratulations to the new Mommy & Daddy!