WEEK IN REVIEW

• We met with our social worker on Saturday to do our LAST home study update. Our current immigration approval expires January 30, 2009 and I'm doubting VERY MUCH that we will be finished with our adoption by that date, so we're re-doing everything for a third time. The social worker changed all our ages on our new home study, changed what grade the kids are in school.....I in turn wrote out check for $400. I figured that if ever things are ever going to speed up with China adoptions, it would happen right after I handed her my check....I can see the CC*AA now begin to crank right through the remaining 21 days of LIDs before us and I wouldn't have needed to update my paperwork after all. If all that it costs me is $400 to get things moving for myself and everyone else....I'm MORE than happy to pay it. =)
  
  
• While Ian and I were driving in the car yesterday (on our way to buy his Halloween costume) we heard Christmas music playing! For crying out loud....IT'S OCTOBER!! Ian got excited and said, "Christmas is coming soon!!...I need to go home and make my list!" My gosh, who on earth enjoys listening to Christmas music this time of the year??
  
  
• The guys finally finished with all our flooring and trim, gave our bedroom and closet a fresh new color, wrapped aluminum around all our outside door trim so "we" (when I say "we" I mean Jeff) no longer has to paint them, fixed my kitchen faucet, caulked behind my kitchen sink and fixed our roof where our skylights have been leaking. They found that the reason the skylights have been leaking is because our "lovely" (just so you know...when I say "lovely" I'm being sarcastic) builder never installed flashing around two of the three skylights and several boards were not completely nailed down and have since rotted out. At least it's now finished (except for a few minor drywall repairs) and I'm back to being in luv with my home again.
  
  
• I only have a couple house projects left that I would like to have finished before Ava gets here. I need to order blinds for Ava's room and also would like to replace the curtains in the living room with blinds as well. Why I ever thought it was a good idea to have white curtains that dangle the ground with two black cats in the family...I'll never know.
  
  
• I was excited that I was able to fill up at the gas station for $75 last week instead of close to $100. I hope the price of gas continues to drop or my next car might just have to be a mini van!
  
  
• I was actually looking at airline information yesterday trying to figure out what airport to fly out of for our China trip. I think I've decided that driving to Detroit is probably going to be our best option and save the most time. It looks like if we flew out of Grand Rapids to Detroit we would have a lot of time waiting between flights and I so hate sitting and waiting in an airport. If anyone from Michigan has any other advice for me.....I'd love to hear it. I'd also be open to driving to Chicago and leaving from there.
  
  
• Just looked at the calendar this morning and noticed that I have three days this week that I have nothing written on.....I'm looking forward to a more relaxing week this week. I did notice on RQ that travel approvals were starting arrive for the end of September batch...I hope this means that referrals are just around the corner! We're getting sooooo close now....My stomach is doing flip flops just thinking about it.