Roary Needs a Friend (or Two)

A List of Random Thoughts

2011-05-13T20:02:00.005-04:00

Playing around with aperature during my photography class.
How ultra-nerdy does that sound? Love.It.

1. I just tried to log on to read and catch up on a few private adoption blogs that I used to read often and realized that I no longer have the passwords for them. I feel like a really bad online-adoption-blog-reading-friend. Pssst, if you have a private adoption blog, hey, can I read it?

2. I've been contemplating emailing our new adoption agency, Mission of Tears, to ask the ultimate question, "When, oh, when will our file be sent to Ethiopia!?!?!??!?!!??!" Of course I won't have a million question marks and exclamation points. Maybe just a few.

3. I've tried to keep track of all the referrals that have happened since the restructuring of Imagine (on the side bar of this blog) and right now we are technically supposed to be #128. Except I really have no idea if that number is even accurate anymore. It seems that many people have put their files on hold or switched programs. So are we #128 or not........ I have no idea.

4. The idea of having to update all of our stinkin' documents when our file hasn't even left the office of the agency really sucks. What was the point in doing them all, then? Grrrrr........

5. For the past year I've kind of pulled back from adoption-related stuff because I was afraid of becoming too invested, too obsessed, too emotional in case things didn't work out. But now I feel guilty about it. Really guilty. I have adoption books that I bought, brand-new and I've shelved them without even opening them. Bad adoptive mommy, bad.

6. I started my little crafty blog as a distraction for the adoption wait but now I'm kind of addicted to it. I hope it's not like all those other hobbies that I took up and then got bored of. Hello, tennis. Hello, dance class. Hello, Running Room.

7. I am contemplating merging the two blogs. Having one blog sounds dorky enough. Two? People must think I'm ridiculous!!! What do you think.... merge 'em or keep 'em seperate?

8. I've been watching the show Cougar Town and while at first I thought the characters acted like they were on speed, I am loving the show now. I've already watched four episodes tonight and it's not even 8:00 p.m. Heeeelarious!

Some Thought-Provoking Articles

2011-04-01T12:07:00.001-04:00

Just thought I'd share a few really good articles that I just read (or reread) while I'm home sick in bed.

Two Scratches of a Pen by Barbie B.

Primary School Privilege by Julie Corby

Post-Adoption Panic by Melissa Faye Greene

I Hope They Empty The Filing Cabinets

2011-03-28T19:31:00.001-04:00

Soooo, you know how our adoption agency is all of a sudden merging with another one?

(Feeling a bit uneasy about that, by the way.)

I'm seriously paranoid that my dusty file is going to get left behind when they do the whole office switcheroo.

I hope the sparkly butterfly stickers all over our dossier will catch someone's attention.

Not The Ticker Crisis Again

2011-01-11T23:29:00.000-05:00

I just looked at the ticker at the top of this dusty ol' blog. My poor ticker-baby is about to fall off the end again.

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

It is hard to imagine we're going to be starting Year #3 of waiting.

Tip: If you want to remember why you're doing this, watch other peoples' adoption videos on YouTube and have a tear.

Tip: If you want to become really sad that your adoption is taking forever and a day, watch other peoples' adoption videos on YouTube and have a tear.

News About Our File

2010-11-19T21:50:00.001-05:00

I'm coming to get you, Roary's friend!

Soooo, we kinda heard some news about our file. It's about to get a whole lot dustier.

When the agency restructured last year, the families with files still in Canada were told that the agency wanted to wait a year before sending them to Ethiopia. The rationale being that it is much more time-consuming and expensive to update/replace expired documents when they are in Ethiopia rather than Canada. Makes sense I guess.

In a few short weeks that year of waiting will be up. Except the latest news is that they won't be sent after all.

They won't be sent to Ethiopia for at least another year.

De-E-lightful.

It's been almost two years already. Plus another year of our file gathering dust bunnies. Then the never-ending referral wait. Then the nervous first court date wait. Then the antsy second court date wait. Then the excruciating visa wait.

Egads, I am going to be one shriveled, cynical old lady by the time this adoption is over.

Possibly Over My Adoption Tantrum

2010-11-10T17:14:00.001-05:00

I think I might be getting over my adoption tantrum that I've been having for the last few months.

I went to a little festival thing this weekend and bought a cd for Roary's friend.

It's called Reggae Playground by Putumayo Kids. I already have the African Dreamland and African Playland cds and they are really cute.

It's a step in the right direction, right?

I Went Away

2010-10-01T17:47:00.006-04:00

I'm finding it really hard to come on here now. It just makes me so, so sad.

This past spring I found myself taking a step away from the constant thinking / dreaming / wondering / worrying about our adoption. It seems so far away from me right now that I'm wondering if it is even still happening.

It's been almost two years since we started and we are so far away from an end that it seems easier right now to just try and forget all about it.

Please don't misunderstand. I still want this more than anything. But I am so disappointed and frustrated with this dysfunctional process.

I'm trying to be realistic and resign myself to the idea that our Ethiopian adoption may not happen after all. Every few months there seems to be an added step or requirement or setback or investigation or hold. There is a very real possibility that this program may be closed when our turn comes around.

Our dossier isn't even IN Ethiopia yet. It's still sitting in some filing cabinet in Cambridge gathering dust. Friends of mine have made comments like, "maybe there will be a fluke and you will get your referral way before you expect it!" I just smile and say, "maybe" when in truth I know that the likelihood of that happening is absolutely impossible.

This stupid process is just so unfair.

Selfishly, it feels unfair to me as I sit here dreaming and wishing and hoping to bring our little one home.

But more importantly, it feels unfair to the children who are in limbo - waiting for families and getting older and older (and less and less likely to be adopted) every day.

It's such a shame and it makes me want to scream at the top of my lungs.

I went away for awhile. Away from this whole mess. Don't know if I'm ready to come back just yet.

Just a Shelf

2010-08-21T10:02:00.004-04:00

I made a shelf for Roary's friend. He/she might like to put his/her cute things on it when he/she comes home. I hope shelves don't go out of style by then.

A Table For Colouring

2010-07-22T15:50:00.004-04:00

Dear Roary's Friend,

Here is a table for you to colour at (not on) when you come home.

♥,

Your stripe-obsessed Mama-to-be

Five Lovely, Beautiful, Amazing Referrals

2010-07-17T10:24:00.006-04:00

That's all I really have to say. Five lovely referrals so far this month. I am just ecstatic for the families who had to wait extra long while paperwork requirements and processes changed on the Ethiopian end of things. The families who received their referrals are elated and those of us who still wait can live vicariously through them.

If only the kinks n' things would get ironed out so that referrals could happen a bit more regularly.

I would like that. :)

Chair Reveal

2010-07-04T22:03:00.009-04:00

Before vs. After

One day Roary's friend's little bottom will be squooshed onto this chair. Hee hee!

Details on how I did this little project can be found here.

Mini Chair Reno Not So Mini

2010-07-02T18:52:00.002-04:00

Dear Roary's Friend,

If I'm a bad mom, it's because I killed all of my brain cells stripping this chair down. Just for you.

185 Warts

2010-06-30T22:40:00.003-04:00

I would rather have 185 warts on my face than be stuck at #185 for another day.

Teeny Antique Chair Project - Continued

2010-06-28T22:42:00.003-04:00

Oh my, what have I done?!?

Dead End

2010-06-21T21:36:00.007-04:00

Well, after much soul-searching, day-dreaming, conversation, stomach upset, researching, and tears shed (me)..... we have come to a dead end.

It's a no-go.

I am making myself feel better by telling myself that we tried. We went out on a limb when most others would not have. I'll stick with that.

I won't post the details on here publicly (not because I don't want to share but because of confidentiality). But for those adoption peeps out there whom I know will understand and want to know the gist of what was going on you can leave your email address in the comment box and I'd love to fill you in.

Crossroads - No, Not the Britney Movie

2010-06-14T20:39:00.003-04:00

A change in plans could be in the works.

Contemplating, feeling things out, having crazy dreams, totally distracted, seeing if it is even a possibility.

Did I leave you in suspense?

Teeny Antique Chair Project

2010-06-05T12:28:00.006-04:00

A few weeks ago I saw a picture of a nursery that had a teeny tiny white chair with a teddy bear on it (see below). If you'd like to see more of their nursery, click here. I thought the chair was adorable. Then I wanted one for Roary's friend.

So when I went here last weekend, I saw a little antique chair and just had to have it.

I was too shy to barter so my brave Aunt offered the dealer $20 and he took it. Yeah!

It needs alot of work (and some crisp white paint) but that will give me a nice project to work on while I'm off for the summer. Only 15 more teaching days to go, but who's counting?

P.S. I kept my eye out for Sarah Richardson and her sidekick Tommy (who were there last year) but alas I didn't spot them. Boo hoo!

Distraction Ideas in Case Your Adoption is Crawling Along at a Snail's Pace

2010-06-02T19:55:00.016-04:00

Is your adoption crawling along at a snail's pace? Mine is! Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

One referral in May? Seriously? Really? One?!? If this referral rate continues we're going to be waiting a long, long, long time for Roary's friend to come home. Fifteen more years, actually. That's what my computer calculater just told me.

I've had a few things going on that have been nice distractions.

1. I declared a war on dandelions. It developed into a bit of an obsession, actually. At first I was cursing my neighbours for letting their bazillion dandelion seeds float into my unsuspecting yard. Then it became quite therapeutic. Check adoption sites for referral news, furiously yank out dandelions. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. I even bought one of those dandelion puller-things from Canadian Tire. It's pretty sweet. Totally worth the 25 bucks. I'd get one if I were you.

2. I tried my hand at a green thumb. I planted, weeded, fertilized, and watered. Things are growing. They're growing!!!!!!!

3. I joined a women's soccer league. Here's the catch, I've never played before. Except that one time in grade 7 when we had an exhibition game against another school and I had no idea what was going on. Oh wait, I still have no idea what's going on. I'm like a little lost puppy running around on the field. But I do have shinpads. And cleats. If you saw me in my gear you might think I was a soccer player. My goal is to be MVP by the end of the season. I'll let you know how that goes.

4. I bought a jumbo box of fudgesicles. 30. They're almost gone.

5. I've been reading Race Against Time by Stephen Lewis. At first I was a bit overwhelmed by it, but then I got my groove on. Now I know all about the CIDA and the DAW and the IMF. I'm on page 129. Woooooo!

And that's that. If you're wondering how I have time to take pictures of fudgesicles and cleats, it's because I should be starting my report cards tonight. Whoops.

Hello From Debbie Downer

2010-05-17T21:34:00.006-04:00

Just me, Debbie Downer, here to complain about the lack of referrals this month. It's already May 17th and I have only counted 1 referral so far this month.

One. 1개. Uno.

Honestly if this adoption goes any slower it'll be going backwards. Who even says that anymore? Me, obviously, because I'm going back in time. Frustrated, frustrated, frustrated.

Who thinks that Imagine should sign another orphanage contract?

ME! ME! ME! ME! ME!

Book Reading Secret

2010-05-10T21:52:00.005-04:00

Finally finished reading this book. Hmmmm, how do I say this politely? Not my favourite but I can appreciate the author's perspective. There we go.

Just started reading this book. I don't think there are enough acronyms though.

Secretly wish I was reading this book instead. Oh, predictable romantic books and movies, I heart you.

186 Is WAY BETTER Than 187

2010-05-04T22:41:00.003-04:00

I wasn't enjoying sitting at number 187 for the last few days. Type "number 187" into Google and have a look at the first result from Wikipedia. Not a nice number. So the news that we are now at #186 makes me feel so much better.

P.S. Referrals, even if they're not mine, are wicked.

Will It Be or Not Be a Boy? (Updated)

2010-05-02T20:56:00.007-04:00

If you haven't noticed the poll on the side of this blog... it's about time you had a look. I need help! I'm trying to figure out the chances of us being a referred a boy vs a girl. Everyone says that if you request either you'll be referred a boy. I don't want to go by heresay, I want to go by statistics. Hence the reliable poll there on the right.

You see, I've always had a feeling that our Ethiopian baby would be a boy.

Just like I've always had a feeling that I would adopt a baby.

I'm tellin' ya. The first night I talked to Alex on the phone (for hours and hours and hours)(he was mesmerized, hahaha) I told him that I wanted lots of kids, some of which would be adopted. That was waaaaaay back in like, 2002.

And then there's the cheesy picture I made for Alex before we started our homestudy over a year ago. Take a gooooood look at that picture. Looks like a little Ethiopian dude to me.

So I need your help. Boy? Girl? Boy? Boy? Boy?

Note 1: Obviously I had too much time on my hands the night I coloured that picture in with pencil crayons.

Note 2: I do realize just how strange it must seem to you that I make pictures and colour them and give them to my husband. Um, yeah. Good times.

Note 3: Just to clarify, I made the picture using a few different clipart images from the net, and then coloured it in. There is no way I could draw those little cartoony people myself. :)

Ahhhhh, Sunshine

2010-04-23T16:51:00.004-04:00

I'm sitting outside on our "pretend" deck (add that to the project list) with an ice-cold Pepsi, the sun is shining so brightly that I can hardly see what I'm typing, I'm in shorts and a T-shirt, it's Friday, and there have been 6 referrals this month so far. Life is good.

Canvas Art Finds

2010-04-17T09:30:00.004-04:00

While sipping my coffee this morning I couldn't help but wander over to this site Oopsy Daisy - Fine Art for Kids to browse. Here are some of my finds:

Little Houses - Blue Roof - Rachel Taylor

Just Us Girls - Jessica Flick

Global Girls - Rachel Taylor

What a World - Jill Macdonald

A Bookcase For Roary's Friend

2010-04-15T19:50:00.010-04:00

I pulled into the driveway after work tonight to find this box sitting in my driveway. Sitting in my driveway! I sat in the backyard and guarded it with my life until Alex got home and helped me carry it upstairs.

As Goldilocks would say, it's not too big, not too small, it's juuuust right. I'm really happy with the way it looks in the room.

Of course it would look that much nicer once the floors are refinished (that's a hint for Alex who is going to read this later). And of course with more books.

I know it's not the most exciting news since people all over the place are getting court dates and referrals (so exciting and congratulations) but it's the best I can do for now.

P.S. We've gone from #222 to #193. I like it. A lot.

Let's Play a Game Called.....Imagine If

2010-04-13T19:38:00.005-04:00

I'm going to let my imagination get carried away here 'cause Alex is out at some weird hockey pool thing and he doesn't even follow hockey. And I'm bored. Plus I just read a seriously disturbing article about adopted children being killed by their adoptive parents. Horrifying. So I am trying to rid myself of unhappy thoughts. Which leads me to my lame-o game.

Imagine if..........

................. I was on a plane to Ethiopia right now about to meet the child or children that were about to change my life forever? Holy geez I'd be a nervous wreck.

................. we got a referral call today, even though we are only #195, because some person in Ethiopia thought we would be an absolute perfect fit for some little gal(s) or fellow(s)? That would be wild, wouldn't it?

................. we got a referral for twins even though our chances of a sibling referral is very low? Oh, twins and oh, the co-ordinated outfit possibilities.

Alright, your turn.

A (Refreshing) International Adoption Article

2010-04-13T17:01:00.004-04:00

Thank you, article writer, for writing an article about international adoption that I found myself nodding my head about. Like in agreement. Those articles are few and far between these days. Just sayin'.

Article: The Case For International Adoption
Author: Jeneen Interlandi
Source: Newsweek Web Exclusive

Another Little Ethiopian Doll For Sale - SOLD

2010-04-09T18:02:00.009-04:00

Remember when I said it takes me a long time to make a doll? Yeah. It takes me a long time to make a doll. My friend asked me the other night if I could make one in a day. I laughed. Maybe if I was a regular person.... but I'm one of those sew an arm on, take a break, sew half a leg on, take another break kind of person. But, all of the effort is so worth it when I mail away a finished doll (and the new owner likes it)! Yeah!

I'm finally done this lovely lady (see below) and she needs a home. If you are interested in purchasing her, just leave a comment under this post with your name and email. Then, I'll send her off to your house. I may even put a sticker on the package. Just for you.

I had a few people send me a comment or email asking if they could order a doll. First, let me say thank you for showing an interest. I appreciate it so much. However, at the pace I work at I am really hesitant to take orders. I'm frightened that I'll take a few orders and then I won't be able to make them in a reasonable amount of time. So for now, I'll continue to make them at a ridiculously slow pace and post them on here when they are done. In the summer when I'm off (in 11.5 weeks but who's counting) I may be able to make a bunch more and/or take a few orders. We'll see though.

Anyway, back to this lady:

She is $25 plus shipping ($5 in Ontario and $10 elsewhere).

The money will be put towards a plane ticket to Ethiopia and Orphanage Donations.

$20 will go into this jar:

$5 will go into this jar:

Thank you for stopping by and showing interest in my latest sewing project. You're the best.

P.S. The first doll I sold is now safe and sound in her new home.

P.S.S. This distraction is working!

Referral-Predictor-Thing

2010-04-01T18:46:00.011-04:00

My dear friend (who teaches high-school and is smarter than me) came up with this really cool referral-predictor-thing in Microsoft Excel.

All I have to do is plug in the number of referrals that are given by our agency each month. It goes and calculates the average number of referrals and estimates the number of months/years before we will likely receive our referral. Every time you add a referral it adjusts the timeline.

Here's how it's looking right now. Hold on 'cause you just might fall off your chair.

Average number of referrals per month: 6

Estimated number of years for our referral: 2.75 years

Initial reaction: HOLY CRAP that is far, far away.

Current reaction: HOLY CRAP that is still far, far, far, far away.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

What I find just hilarious is that when we started this process, Alex and I told ourselves that we weren't going to be all impatient and frustrated and sensitive about the whole thing. Instead we were going to be calm, cool, and collected. Use our wait time productively to do all sorts of pre-kids things like renovate the house, travel, stay out late, and sleep in on the weekends.

Well what do you know.... without any warning at all I seem to have turned into this crazy, neurotic, obsessive-compulsive, referral-stalking, impatient, adoptive parent-to-be. The scary part about it all is that the referral-predictor-thing just told me I have another 2.75 years to get even crazier.

Honestly, how am I going to do this!?!?!?!?!

P.S. Happy Easter. Let's go eat chocolate and drown our sorrows.

Going Private ASAP

2010-04-01T16:35:00.007-04:00

Haha, April Fools.

(Still) Keeping Track of Our Number - Updated

2010-03-23T22:42:00.004-04:00

Our original number on the list: 222

# of referrals in December: 3

# of referrals in January: 14

# of referrals in February: 2

# of referrals in March (so far): 5

Total number of referrals: 24

Our (approximated) new number on the list: 198

Great Post Re: Black Children's Books

2010-03-22T20:40:00.008-04:00

I came across a really great blog the other day. I've only had a chance to read some of the posts so far but they have been truly thought-provoking. I'm looking forward to going through and reading the rest. Maybe tonight. :)

The blog is called My Brown Baby and can be found here: http://mybrownbaby.blogspot.com/

The post that I read and loved today is called EVERYBODY Should Read Black Children's Books.

And I agree.

P.S. It has a list of book titles, too. Check it out!

Roary's Friend's Bedroom Gets a Piece of Furniture (Sort Of)

2010-03-20T16:17:00.007-04:00

I think that because we have so little control over this whole adoption process, I've developed a little obsession about something that I can control.

The 3 C's. (Just made that up on the spot.)

That is, how cute, cozy, and comforting Roary's friend's bedroom will be when he/she finally arrives.

Translation: decorating.

Not knowing the gender of Roary's friend is making it a wee bit hard. So we went on a mission to find something that we could add to the room that would work for a girl or a boy.

During our little road trip we stopped at Pottery Barn Kids. The hard part about shopping there is that everything is really boyish or really girlish. Oh yeah, and expensive.

So, we found a bookcase that we thought would fit in this little spot in Roary's friend's bedroom. I was looking for a piece of furniture that would be low enough that it wouldn't block the window or the closet door as you walked in. See picture:

Here is the bookcase that we picked:

With those baskets (except in chocolate brown). With no liners, because I'm going to try to make them myself. Eeek!

The sales lady did a stock-check and told us that the item was in-stock. We paid for it and went to pick it up in some mysterious pick-up zone in the underground parking garage. We got there and all of a sudden the item was no longer in stock. They are supposed to ship it to us when they get another shipment in April. APRIL!!!

Shame on you Pottery Barn stock workers! We had to drive 4.5 hours home with no little bookcase for Roary's friend's bedroom. (Picture me wiping away a tear and stuffing my face with peanut butter cookies right now.)('Cause that's what I'm doing.)

P.S. The rational part of my brain knows that Roary's friend will not care about accessories and stripes and bookcases that don't block the window. He/she will just want us. Hopefully!

Email Back From MP - Bill C-413

2010-03-18T10:25:00.002-04:00

Hello Sarah,

I hope the adopting process is coming along; I imagine you and Alexander are becoming quite excited about becoming parents.

I agree with you that the current system discriminates against adoptive parents and I hope that C-413 is passed as soon as possible.

Unfortunately, as Parliament is currently prorogued, no action can be taken on this bill until we return to the House of Commons. As for the motion, the day that I wrote you last we took a vote and the motion was adopted. Hopefully the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development, and the Status of Persons with Disabilities will be able to address the issue as soon as possible.

Thank you for writing and best of luck in the adoption process.

Sincerely,

Glenn

Where Oh Where is Little Ethiopia?

2010-03-16T22:27:00.006-04:00

I had read about Little Ethiopia just before we left on our road trip to Toronto a few days ago. But by the time we got there, I forgot where it was.

We drove around and around and around in the rain until Alex started getting frustrated and my hungry belly started getting angry. Just when we were about to give up and eat at a greasy nacho joint, I saw this:

So we went in and had the meat/veggie combo platter. We got to chat with our waitress whose older sisters owned the restaurant. It was nice.

http://www.shebarestaurant.ca/

Happy Sad Happy Sad Happy Sad

2010-03-11T22:24:00.007-05:00

Happy. The March Break is HERE! It's finally here!!! For the next 10 days I will be sleeping in, baking goodies, puttering around in my front yard (the snow is melting, yippie!) and drinking coffee in my p.j.'s.

Sad. I have barely started my report cards and they are due.... the Monday following the March Break. Doh.

Happy. My first little Ethiopian doll has been sold. I only hit refresh 5000 times and had a nervous breakdown worrying that no-one wanted to buy her. But then after a few hours she was sold to a lovely online friend and all was right with the world.

Sad. No referrals in a looooong time. MOWA (Ministry of Women's Affairs in Ethiopia) has put a temporary hold on adoption letters in certain regions of Ethiopia which just happen to be where 3 out of 4 of Imagine's affiliated orphanages are.

Happy. My sweet friends have been asking me about our adoption quite regularly. It is so nice to have them show an interest in what's happening. It makes me all warm and fuzzy inside.

Sad. The Federal Courts in Ethiopia have just announced a new rule effective immediately where families will have to travel to Ethiopia twice. Once to attend their court hearing and a second time to pick up their child(ren). Hearing the reasons why they created this rule makes me sad.

Happy. That the Ethiopian government is committed to ensuring that their adoption system is legal and ethical and all that jazz.

Sad. That so many corrupt and slimy people/agencies have to jeopardize international adoption by being shady and doing shady things.

Happy. As of right now, our adoption is still happening (albeit slowly).

Sad. A part of me still fears the worst.... that the Ethiopian adoption program will eventually be shut down because of the aforementioned shady people and agencies taking advantage of Ethiopia's people and children.

Happy. This blog is back up to 30 followers. Happy dance, happy dance, happy dance!

One Little Ethiopian Doll - SOLD

2010-03-10T17:33:00.010-05:00

This pretty little Ethiopian lady needs a home. If you would like her, she's yours. Just leave a comment on this post with your name and email address and we'll work out the details.

This doll is $25 and the shipping cost is $5.

For more information about this little doll fun-raiser, click on my previous post.

This is so fun!

Doll-Making Fun-Raiser

2010-03-10T11:07:00.030-05:00

I've decided to make and sell some Ethiopian dolls as a little fun-raiser.
(A fun-raiser not a fund-raiser.)

Fun!

Here is a sample of the last doll I made:

I will be selling the dolls for $25 dollars each. (Plus $5 for shipping).

Twenty percent of the sale ($5) will go into our Orphanage Donations jar.
(Picture coming soon.)

The rest of the sale ($20) will go into our Plane Tickets to Ethiopia jar.
(Picture coming soon.)

Please, Keep in Mind That:

- I am only an amateur, wanna-be sewer.
- It takes me hours and hours and hours to make one little doll. I'm slow.
- The beads and buttons could be a choking hazard for unsupervised kids.
- All fabrics, ribbons, beads, and buttons are chosen according to strict cuteness guidelines. ;)

My first little doll will be going up for sale very soon. She's almost done.

Breakin' Dishes - Sad But True Update on Bottom

2010-03-02T21:27:00.006-05:00

I was tagged by Laura to play a game called, Get Embarrassed by the Songs on Your Ipod. Please don’t judge me.

Rules:

1. Put your I-pod, ITunes, Windows Media Player, etc. on shuffle.

2. For each question press the Next button to get your answer.

3. You must write that song no matter how silly it sounds.

4. Tag at least 10 friends.

5. Have fun!

If someone says, "Are you okay?”

Don’t Phunk With My Heart – Black Eyed Peas

(Hahaha, the next time someone asks about the adoption I’m going to say, “Don’t phunk with my heart.”)

How would you describe yourself?

Welcome to Hollywood – Beyonce

(More like, welcome to wearing a ponytail and sneakers everyday.)

What do you like in a guy/girl?

Shoulda Let You Go – Sean Kingston ft. Good Charlotte

(Obviously I was clingy and didn’t let Alex go. Haha, sucker!)

How do you feel today?

Young Forever – Jay-Z ft. Mr. Hudson

(Well, not really, I actually feel like watching t.v. and eating chips. Again.)

What is your life's purpose?

Let Me Get This Right – Ne-Yo

(Yeah, I’m pretty much stumbling through life right now trying to get things right. Possibly failing miserably. Wah wah.)

What's your motto?

One of the Boys – Katy Perry

(???)

What do your friends think of you?

Sober - Pink

(Random Ipod shuffle, how did you know that I don’t drink very often because of my low level of alcohol tolerance???)

What do your parents think of you?

Stickwitu – Pussycat Dolls

(Awwwwwww.)

What do you think about very often?

Ooh Ooh Baby – Britney Spears

(Why is Britney Spears on my Ipod?!?!?! I don’t even like her dumb music!)

What is 2 + 2?

Forgiveness – Leona Lewis
(If only I could do some math to forgive those that sabotaged our adoptions.)

What do you think of your best friend?

I Can’t Wait - Akon

(To hang out???)

What is your life story?

I Wanna Be – Chris Brown

(….. a mama to an Ethiopian babe. Sigh.)

What do you want to be when you grown up?

Fergalicious – Fergie

(A girl can dream.)

What do you think when you see the person you like?

Hot – Avril Lavigne

(Totally random, I swear!)

What will you dance to at your wedding?

Party in the USA – Miley Cyrus

(YEAH!!!!!! I love this song!!! And so do all of the 7/8 year olds in my class. Wicked.)

What will they play at your funeral?

Fire Burning – Sean Kingston

(Ha,ha,ha,ha,ha,ha!!! That would be me going up in smoke in that cremation thingy.)

What is your hobby/interest?

Drummer Boy – Sean Kingston

(Hmmm, maybe I need to start a new hobby. Finding a drummer boy or learning how to drum.)

What is your biggest fear?

Where Do We Go From Here? – Alicia Keys

(Yeah, my biggest fear is being stuck at #222 on the wait list forever and ever and ever.)

What is your biggest secret?

Teenage Love Affair – Alicia Keys

(Busted! Please don’t report this to my boss. I don’t want to get fired.)

What do you want to do right now?

Shake Your Pom Pom – Missy Elliot

(Is she talking about a real pom pom or does the word pom pom represent something else???)

What do you think of your friends?

Shake Down - Akon

(Be my friend or else I will give you the shake down.)

What will you post this as?

Breakin’ Dishes – Rihanna

(If I tag you and you don’t respond I will break dishes. Cute ones!!!!!)

I tag the last 10 people who commented on my blog (who have a blog of their own): Shannon, Carolyn, Janice, Natalie, Kendra, Ashleigh, Rhonda, Claudia, Claire, Lyndsey.

Update:

For the longest time, this blog has had 30 official followers. Every time I would log on I would see: 30 followers. After I hit publish on this lovely post, I went to get some snacks, came back, and hit refresh to make sure the formatting looked okay. That's when I saw: 29 followers. Someone stopped following my blog after reading my lamo Ipod songs. My self-esteem just took a beating.

Have You Ever Seen The Creepy Movie Called......

2010-03-01T22:29:00.009-05:00

Have you ever seen the creepy movie called.....

Paradise Lost ..... the one where six teenagers travel to Brazil and are secretly led to an organization that chops up foreigners and sells their organs on the black market?

It's disgusting and creepy.

Have you ever seen the creepy movie called.....

Taken ..... the one where two girls travel to Europe and get kidnapped by a group of men who try to sell them as sex slaves to rich people?

It's disgusting and creepy.

Have you ever seen the creepy movie called.....

Evil People Steal Money From Adoptive Families and Waiting Children..... the one where three people from Cambridge, Ontario scam hundreds of thousands of dollars from innocent adoptive families and leave children in Ethiopia with no food so that they can buy fancy cars, horses, and spa treatments?

It's disgusting and creepy.

Oh wait, the last one isn't make-believe. You can read the latest news about it here:

http://news.therecord.com/News/Local/article/677204

You = Awesomeness

2010-02-28T10:20:00.009-05:00

I wanted to say thank you (so much!) to all of you peeps out there who have left such positive, encouraging, and down-right flattering comments about everything from stripes to doll hair-do's to our large three-digit number: 222.

Your comments are getting kind of addictive. It is definitely keeping me motivated, that's for sure.

Normally I would give you a picture of a cupcake, or some daisies, or a puppy to say thank you. But because my new favourite show is How I Met Your Mother (funniest show I think I've ever seen), and I've watched 3 seasons in only 3 weeks, I will give you this instead.........

........ a Barney Stinson HIGH FIVE.

You're Awesome!

Ta Da! The Stripy Reveal

2010-02-22T20:12:00.010-05:00

Well, the stripes are finally done. I did have to bribe myself with a gigantic bowl of sour cream and onion chips in order to finish the last wall after work today. Load brush with paint, eat chip. Load roller with paint, eat chip. Load brush with paint again, eat another chip. You get the idea.

Paint colours.

A close-up shot. This is how the colours actually look in the daylight.

This is the wall I started on. I was having fun when I was taping this wall. Then, I wasn't.

I'd have to say that I am pretty impressed that the stripes look so freakin' straight. Yeah, me.

This is the door that leads into the hallway.

Roary approves.

Here is a rotten picture from when we first moved in in 2006. Please make note of the blue walls, dusty rose carpet, and granny curtains.

Same view but alot more stripes.

I'm sure you wanted to see more of that dusty rose carpeting.

And that's all folks. The lighting isn't the greatest because I took most of the pics at night.

And there you have it. I'm really happy with how it turned out. The lines are very crisp and clean and the room definitely looks bigger. However, to be completely honest, I expected the stripes to be a wee bit more subtle. The two colours are side-by-side on the paint-chip-thingy after all. Oh well. I'm sure the whole thing was fate anyway. Both mornings when I started to work in Roary's Friend's bedroom, I flipped on the radio and heard Michael Buble singing, "I just haven't met you yet."

P.S. If you looked at the pictures, grimaced, and thought to yourself, "Yuck, I would never do that in my house." I totally saw you. Hahaha.

List of Things I Hadn't Anticipated....

2010-02-21T20:52:00.011-05:00

.... when I decided to paint horizontal stripes in Roary's friend's bedroom.

1. It would take more than 12 hours to mark and tape the walls.

2. I would have the song Tik Tok memorized because it played on the radio at least 20 times over the last two days.

3. I wouldn't be able to lift my arms or walk afterwards due to the repeated lifting of levels and crouching to mark and tape walls.

4. I would be cursing my own self over and over and over again for thinking that painting horizontal stripes would be a fun little project.

5. I would run out of paint just before the project was complete. Nooooooo!

Yeah, yeah. I know what you're thinking. Those lines are sooooooo level and evenly spaced. ;)

Can You Guess What Project I'm Working On?

2010-02-20T18:07:00.004-05:00

Fabrics That You, Yes You, Will Love

2010-02-19T19:59:00.005-05:00

How cool are these fabrics?

They were designed by an adoptive mama in order to represent families with two moms, two dads, single parents, single adoptive parents, adoptive families, and bi and tri racial families.

You can find these, and other, fabrics here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/manoallamano

Bill C-413 - READ ME

2010-02-18T20:39:00.006-05:00

All this thinking about adoption leave got me thinking about an email I received from my local MP after the bankruptcy. I just went back and read the email. I found out this info:

Peter Julian (Burnaby - New Westminster) introduced a Private Member's Bill in the House of Commons in June 2009. Bill C-413 would amend the Employment Insurance Act and the Canada Labour Code to give adoptive parents the same number of weeks of leave from work as the biological parent of a new-born child.

After doing a bit more reading on the net, it is recommended that we adoption-folk send an email to our local MP to indicate that we support the bill. It was also recommended that we send an email to the Minister of Labour in our province because the bill involves an expenditure of money.

NDP Press Release
Adoptive and biological parents should receive same benefits
Wed 10 Jun 2009

OTTAWA– Peter Julian (Burnaby-New Westminster) today introduced a Private Member’s Bill in the House of Commons, Bill C-413, An Act to amend the Employment Insurance Act and the Canada Labour Code (extension of benefit period for adoptive parents). The bill would amend the law to give adoptive parent the same number of weeks of leave from work as the biological parent of a new-born child.

“Adoption is an important and essential act in a compassionate and just society” said Julian.

“This is a question of fairness, yes- adoptive parents deserve the full benefits of biological parents because their love and devotion to their children is equal to that of any parent- but it is also a question of taking a common sense step to make adoption a more supportive process.”

Under the current Employment Insurance program, adoptive parents are given 35 weeks of paid leave and a further 15 of unpaid leave afterwards. Under the law, biological parents are given both the first 35 weeks and the latter 15 as paid leave. The bill would install parity between adoptive and biological parents in this regard. Recent studies of adoptive parents have shown that many would have liked to have the 15 paid in order to help them better support their children.

“Adoptions in Canada are often expensive, lengthy and very stressful” stressed Julian. “Such changes to the EI system are worthwhile because we all have a duty to support and encourage adoption.”

37 Weeks Is Not Good Enough For Me

2010-02-18T19:49:00.006-05:00

I found my trusty old collective agreement tonight and read the fine print about parental leave. It basically says that as an adoptive parent I am entitled to parental leave as outlined in the Employment Standards Act. Which is 37 weeks in Ontario.

I'm pretty sure I'm going to have a crying, teething, pooping infant just like any other mom. So guess what? I want 52 lovely weeks to spend with my crying, teething, pooping infant just like everyone else.

Tonight I feel like being a shit-disturber. Pardon my language. I think I'm going to send out some unhappy emails. Anyone with me? Come on, you know you want to.

Adoption Leave Research (with Disclaimer)

2010-02-16T21:55:00.006-05:00

Disclaimer: The following research has everything to do with wanting to bond and develop secure attachments over an extended period of time with my little adopted dude/dudette(s). It has absolutely nothing to do with wanting to avoid work. Because that would sound bad. And lazy. I'm not bad or lazy. Um, yeah.

So I'm looking at this website: http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/eng/home.shtml

I'm looking at the chart that indicates the amount of weeks of parental leave entitled to adoptive parents.

I'm looking at the chart and it irks me when I see that some provinces get 37 weeks, while other provinces get 52 weeks.

Am I reading this chart right? Is it current or from 1970? Is this info true? Do we, in Ontario, get less adoption leave than other people just because we live in this province?

Trust me, I would seriously consider moving to Saskatchewan if it meant working for 3 less months. Ooops, I mean I would seriously consider moving to Saskatchewan if it meant bonding and attaching to my child for 3 extra months.

Do I need to be writing annoying letters and emails to people? Do I? Please help me understand this.

A Hand-Me-Down For Roary's Friend

2010-02-15T21:30:00.006-05:00

We were at a Family Day gathering tonight and left with a cute family hand-me-down for Roary's friend. An adorable little table set in need of a little tlc.

That little table and chair set will be receiving the full treatment: sanding, priming, and painting white.

Yes. Another little project/distraction. I'll do a before and after photoshoot, I promise.

P.S. Please don't mind the floors in the pics. They are original to the house (built in the 40's) and they are in desperate need of refinishing.

P.S.S. They will be getting refinished very soon.

P.S.S.S. Alex doesn't know it yet but very soon I will be convincing him to have it done on the March Break. Hopefully before he reads this post at work tomorrow.

P.S.S.S.S. I've only been agonizing over having crusty floors for the 4 years that we've lived in this house. It's about time, right?

Picture Books for Black History Month

2010-02-12T18:11:00.006-05:00

I was browsing through the Scholastic catalogues at work last week and came across a few book offers to celebrate Black History Month. Seven new books for a pretty good price. Couldn't say no.

An Imaginary Outfit for an Imaginary Roary's Friend

2010-02-11T17:31:00.011-05:00

One of my girlfriends is expecting. So when we went on a little road trip this weekend we ended up in a Baby Gap store. Sigh. I got a bit sad. If Roary's friend were home I could put together cute little mini-outfits. Just in case you didn't think I was dorky enough already, I'm about to put together some imaginary mini-outfits for an imaginary Roary's friend.

If Roary's friend were a girl, and she were home, today she'd be wearing:

A polka-dot headband.

A pretty graphic tee.

A hoodie.

Wide-leg jeans.

And mary-jane sneakers.
If Roary's friend were a boy, and he were home, today he'd be wearing:

A funny graphic tee. A monster hoodie.

Wide-leg boy jeans.

And converse sneakers. Yup. That was fun. What would your little dude/dudette be wearing?

Stupidly Ignorant

2010-02-09T21:02:00.006-05:00

Is it wrong to want to hurt someone (badly) because they are so stupidly ignorant?

Here is a quote from a conversation that I overheard recently.

Blah blah blah.... blah blah blah..... "so-and-so's new boyfriend doesn't like black people."

Someone please tell me where so-and-so's new boyfriend lives so I can give him a piece of my mind. Or fist.

Keeping Track of Our Number

2010-02-07T14:50:00.003-05:00

Our original number on the list: 222

# of referrals in December: 3

# of referrals in January: 14

Total number of referrals: 17

Our (approximated) new number on the list: 205

The Winning Doll

2010-02-04T16:56:00.004-05:00

Thank you again to everyone who showed an interest in my little Ethiopian doll contest. The winning doll has made it safe and sound to her new Momma's house. She is definitely my best one yet. I have some more pics here if you are interested in having a look.

Coincidence, I Think Not

2010-02-03T20:12:00.006-05:00

First, I complained about not being able to read people's private blogs. Suddenly I got invited to read a bunch.

Then, I complained about not being on the list. All of a sudden, I was on the list.

Coincidence? I think not.

Complaining might be my new favourite thing to do. It gets you places. :)

ON THE LIST, BABY!!!

2010-02-01T20:54:00.006-05:00

I'm not going to California but I'm on the list!

ON THE LIST!!!

#222

Kind of a quirky number. I think I like it. Nope, I love it.

Might Be On The List

2010-02-01T19:55:00.010-05:00

Good news (biting my fingernails). Today I heard that instead of creating a second list (of families with dossiers that are ready to be sent to Ethiopia) Imagine will be adding our names to the current list(s) instead.

I might be on the list. Holy smokes I might be on the list. Hold on to your hats I might be on the list. Jittery mess because I might be on the list.

Things will just be so much different if I'm on the list. I'm telling you. Things will be different.

I haven't received an email today, but maybe tomorrow. I'll know when I get home from work tomorrow at 5:00. Oh the anticipation is killing me.

Please be on the list, please be on the list, please be on the list, please be on the list.

Cute Mug + Coffee Cures Woes

2010-01-28T21:39:00.004-05:00

This butterfly mug makes me happy. Isn't it adorable? I will drink coffee from it until our names get on that bleep-blopping list.

Truthfully, I had to slap myself on the wrist (for real) and say to myself "stop being a whiny brat on your blog."

So really, cute mug + coffee + wrist-slapping = semi-cured woes.

Forlorn Girl Posts About Depressing Timelines

2010-01-26T21:05:00.011-05:00

I may have forgotten to mention (because it's so depressing) that it has been a year since we started this adoption process.

A year.

And our dossier is still here.

The latest email from Imagine states that our dossiers won't be sent to Ethiopia for at least another year.

Another year.

Tonight I am allowing myself to be selfish and depressed and forlorn and self-pitying and annoying. I'll blame January. It's dreary, dark, and depressing. And that's that.

Had a Little Tear When I Read This

2010-01-23T19:51:00.004-05:00

From Citizen and Immigration Canada:

Canada Gets Agreement from Haiti to Evacuate Adopted Children

New Doll Hairdo - Yay or Nay?

2010-01-19T21:30:00.004-05:00

Out of all the things I should be doing tonight, messing around with a doll wig must be one of them. Distractions, I love you.

Note: I'm still practicing. That's why her face is all scrunched up.

Yesterday So Happy, Today So Frustrated I Could Crush Someone

2010-01-14T16:41:00.007-05:00

Not you, because it's not your fault.

But, my little Ethiopian baby is about to fall off the dumb ticker at the top of this dumb blog and we're not even on the dumb list.

I sent such a sweet email, too. I asked oh so politely if those of us with dossiers ready to be sent to Ethiopia could be included, too. We were told that our dossiers were placed in "the queue".

I don't want to be in "the queue" I want to be on "the list".

I feel so left out. I don't care if we are 270 out of 271 (notice I'll take anything but last) I just wish I could be part of the excitement today.

Note: Despite how many times I used the word dumb in this post, I am secretly very excited and happy for my real-time and online friends who found out their numbers on the list. You are all getting so close, I love it. But I'm still grumpy. :)

And The Winner Is........

2010-01-13T19:54:00.005-05:00

Thank you so, so, so much to all of you lovely gals who decided to partake in my little contest thingy. I really loved this little distraction. I also loved all of your comments and suggestions. I will need to take another good read through all of them and make some notes. I am contemplating doing a little adoption-doll fundraiser so stay tuned. Don't worry, if you entered this little draw and didn't win I'll give you a great deal (wink, wink).

Thank you again!

To the winner: if you could send me your email address then I'll give you a few options for the skin/hair/fabric colours.

If you don't feel comfortable leaving your email address on this post, please send it to mine at:

sarahclub7@hotmail.com.

:) Congratulations, Joy!

These Gals Are Making Me Smile Tonight

2010-01-13T17:52:00.002-05:00

Last Chance for Doll Giveaway

2010-01-11T17:28:00.005-05:00

This it it, your last chance to win the lumpiest doll that ever existed. I currently have 16 names going into my little hat. If you haven't entered your name already you still can by clicking here and leaving your name. I'm going to draw names on Wednesday evening at 8:00 p.m.

I'm so excited, but kind of nervous. Ahhhhhh!

I Tried to Follow You, But I Couldn't

2010-01-10T21:53:00.005-05:00

What do you do when you are supposed to be planning for tomorrow's school day? I like to procrastinate and surf the internet reading adoption blogs and looking for new ones.

I was doing just that, clicking away, when all of a sudden I came across a blog list of Canadian families who are all waiting to or have adopted from Ethiopia.

JACKPOT! I was so excited. I could waste a lot of time reading some new blogs.

So I started typing the blog addresses in, one by one, and I swear that over 75% of them were all private. Sigh. I gave up halfway through the list. You have to be invited to read their blogs.

Random email:

Hi. I don't know you and you don't know me but I would just love to read your private blog.

Um, that sounds really creepy. Sigh. I guess I'll just go and do my stinking work for school. Booo!

Imperfect, Homemade, Ethiopian (or Other Nationality) Doll Giveaway!

2010-01-07T17:30:00.011-05:00

Just trying to spice things up on the Ethiopian adoption blog front.

So my latest hobby is making things. Sewing to be a bit more specific. I kinda like it. I've made two dolls so far (two more are almost done) and I've had a dozen requests from people to make one for them. So I'm using this little giveaway as a gauge to see if people would really like them. Then maybe I can quit my job, never have to write another report card (that is very important to me), drink coffee all day, have an excuse to buy stuff (fabric, buttons), and putter around on the sewing machine with sappy movies playing in the background (or folky-type music) all day long.

So, here are the details. All you have to do is leave a comment on this post that says:

1) Your first name (so I can put it in a hat)
2) One thing you would look for or like if you were to find/get/buy an Ethiopian doll (market research)

When I have enough people (or any at all for that matter), I'll take all the names, put them in a hat, and draw one out. Then I'll email you (somehow) and ask if you would like to choose the hair, skin, or fabric colours. Then I'll make it, pack it up, and send it away to you in the mail. (Don't tell Alex I might be shipping a doll to Timbucktoo.)

Things I'm curious about:

- would you want a female or male doll
- do you like matching fabrics or crazy clashing ones
- do you like the clothes to be pinkish for girls and blueish for boys or other colours?
- would you prefer doll eyes/faces with buttons or embroidery
- do you like fabric hair or hair made with yarn
- do you like short, stubby dolls or long, awkward, quirky dolls
- would you want your child's name or initial somewhere on the doll
- would you prefer beads/buttons for details or none at all (choking hazard for small kids, yikes!)

WARNING:

The doll will be mysteriously lumpy and will likely have a strand of golden retriever fur stuck to it somewhere. I love my Dyson but sometimes it fails me. :)

One Last Thing:

If no-one enters this dorky giveaway then I will know for sure that the dolls I've made so far have been ugly and no-one would want one in a million years. Please humour me!

This is Me - Excited

2010-01-07T17:12:00.006-05:00

My fingers and toes are all tingly with excitement since I found out a few minutes ago that at least two more Imagine families got referrals this week.

In a few months, referrals might start to seem like the norm. But after the whole bankruptcy ordeal, when referrals were on hold for five months and the whole lot of us never knew if we would ever get one, it just seems so amazing and exciting. I freakin' love it.

In my little mental tally chart I'm counting 4 referrals before Christmas plus at least 2 referrals this week equals at least 6 referrals from the new Imagine since they started back up. Things are looking good. :)

Just So You Know

2010-01-02T10:14:00.007-05:00

Just so you know....

When you say, "You should just have your own instead" and make a pretend pregnancy belly with your hands ....my stomach tightens into a little knot and I wonder how you could say that to me in front of so many people.

Just so you know....

When you casually ask, "Don't you just want your own?" .... I want to walk out the door and never come back because this child will be my own.

Just so you know....

When you say, "You still have time to have your own first" ....it's like this child isn't good enough and my heart starts to ache just a little.

Just so you know....

When you say to me, "Did you hear that so-and-so is pregnant?", expecting it to make me want to get pregnant, I am fighting to hold back tears and trying to make it seem like your comment didn't hurt me.

Just so you know....

When you show no interest, ask no questions, and pretend like this adoption isn't real, it's like you are pretending a part of me doesn't exist. And that makes me really, really sad.

My Very First Handmade Ethiopian Doll

2010-01-01T20:54:00.004-05:00

Technically she was made in my basement but deep down she's Ethiopian. I wanted to do little puffs for hair but it was really hard to do with yarn. I settled for pigtails. Can't go wrong with twisty pigtails. Details on how she was all sewn up can be found here.

Updates on Three Non-Essential Things

2009-12-29T22:30:00.005-05:00

Update #1: Adoption Special on CBS.

I made a big post about how I was going to watch this musical special... but then I ended up missing it. Whoops. Too much playing around with the sewing machine. Alex and I downloaded it after it aired instead and sat down to watch it on Christmas Eve once everyone was gone. Alex fell asleep. I can't really blame him because it was a leetle cheesy. Ah well, what can you do. Maybe some folks chose to watch it instead of Tila Tequila and ended up wanting to adopt. You never know.

Update #2: Book Reading - Black Baby, White Hands: A View From the Crib

There are quite a lot of books that I've picked up and read cover to cover in the span of one or a few days. I really like books that are impossible to put down. For some reason, I am having a very.hard.time. getting through this book. I started reading it, hmmmm, in the summer? Yikes! I can appreciate the author's point of view on certain issues and some of the personal stories are interesting and educational from an adoptive parent's point of view, however for some reason it seems as though the author repeats the same ideas again and again and again and again. I will definitely sit down one day and finish the rest, however I might have to force it a little. I know it's an important read (and just knowing that a book is sitting there only half read will haunt me in the middle of the night). Please don't take this post as a negative book review. Please take into consideration that I thought Confessions of a Shopaholic was a good book and I can see it on my bookshelf from where I'm sitting right now. Please don't judge me.

Update #3: Roary's Friend's Bedroom Wall Stripes

The plan is still a-go. However, when you want to paint stripes you have to do a lot of measuring, leveling, and taping. No-one seems to want to help out with this little project. My plan was to tackle it this week (after the Christmas whirlwind died down). But the project remains untackled. I've just been too busy sleeping in 'til ten/eleven, drinking multiple cups of coffee from giant mugs, watching chick movies, surfing the internet, learning how to sew, and playing with my new Christmas presents (I asked Santa for a Cribbage board and I got one. Yeah!).

So, those are the updates. All non-essential three of them.

A (Lumpy, Floppy) Success

2009-12-27T22:22:00.011-05:00

So this new hobby of mine (learning how to sew, knit, and make things in general) has been kind of fun so far. On Christmas morning at my parents house I made my mom dig out all of her old sewing stuff. I ended up bringing home rubbermaid totes full of fabric scraps and fluff. I've been working on a little project that I like to call...... Abnormally Long, Floppy Doll. She's cute but very floppy, kind of long, and sort of lumpy. Since this is supposed to be an adoption blog, I started up another silly little one about my new adventure/distraction/hobby. If you want to giggle at my sewing attempts go here: http://gettingmycrafton.blogspot.com/.

P.S. Please don't tell her that the back of her head is completely bald.

P.S.S. Please don't tell her that she will never, ever be able to hold her neck up by herself.

P.S.S.S. Please don't tell her that she originally had a pink button for a mouth which ended up looking like a pig's snout.

Silly Adoption Poll Results

2009-12-26T23:31:00.003-05:00

And the voters have had their say! After a whopping 18 votes ( ha, ha) the majority of people, who have yet to receive their referral, would rather get it.....

when they least expect it (i.e, when at the mall or making sandwiches).

83% of folks chose that response. That was my pick, too!

Polls are fun. I think I'll do another one.

A Crib

2009-12-21T22:11:00.003-05:00

Today Alex said, "We should buy a crib."

I was a little surprised by this out-of-the-blue comment.

So I said, "Why?"

He replied, "So that our baby knows there is a place for him to sleep when he comes home."

Isn't that just the cutest thing you've ever heard?

Adoption Special on CBS

2009-12-21T20:58:00.003-05:00

You can bet that we will be watching this program on Wednesday night..... no matter how badly my house needs to be cleaned, no matter how many gifts still need to be wrapped and put under the tree, and no matter how many treats I still need to bake before Christmas Eve. With all of the controversial/negative adoption-related specials/stories/documentaries/articles in the media lately, it's about time we sit down and enjoy a program that highlights and celebrates the positive.

Here is a little blurb that I found somewhere on the net:

A Home for the Holidays

Wednesday, December 23 8/7c

THE 11TH ANNUAL A HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS WITH FAITH HILL, a new entertainment special to be broadcast Wednesday, Dec. 23 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network, will include moving performances by five-time Grammy Award winner and Academy of Country Music (ACM) Award winner Faith Hill, who headlines for the second time, Grammy Award-winning singer Mary J. Blige, musician and featured adoptee Michael Franti, Grammy and ACM Award-winning country superstar Reba McEntire, Grammy Award-winning Latin pop singer Shakira and Grammy and ACM Award-winning star Carrie Underwood, among others. Jenna Elfman ("Accidentally on Purpose") and Nia Vardalos ("My Big Fat Greek Wedding") are among the celebrities presenting inspirational stories about adoption.

Following the success of the past 10 annual shows, the special continues to tell touching stories about foster care adoption to raise awareness for this important social issue. The inspirational stories of these American families are enhanced by performances from some of today's most popular artists.

The musical performances frame several pre-taped story segments which are presented by celebrities who either have their own adoption experiences or are involved with children's issues. The stories highlight many exceptional American children and families involved in this rewarding process.

The special is presented in association with the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption and the Children's Action Network. Wendy's International founder Dave Thomas, who was adopted, established the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption in 1992. It is dedicated to dramatically increasing the adoptions of the more than 129,000 waiting children in the United States foster care system.

A Referral Poem

2009-12-21T14:37:00.002-05:00

Roses are red,
Violets are blue,
Four referrals last week,
Not just two. Woohoo!

I'm a poet! A poet who needs to go shopping ASAP for ingredients and gifts. Check out the following article that gives a few more details....

http://news.therecord.com/article/647130

Having a Number Makes a Huge Difference. 246, Baby.

2009-12-17T12:35:00.006-05:00

For me, having a number as a reference point makes a huge difference to this process. Before this whole bankruptcy thing, we had absolutely no idea how many clients Imagine Adoption even had, let alone how many were ahead of us on "the list." Basically we had no idea of anything.

Now that we know that only 246 (possibly a few more) families have continued on with the Ethiopia program, it makes things so much easier (for me, anyway) to wrap my head around.

246. That doesn't seem so bad. Plus, at least two referrals were given yesterday and that already brings the number down to 244 (maybe less!).

I am very excited that the new Imagine has agreed to provide the families with an official "list" of waiting families and their requests. They have also agreed to communicate how many referrals were given each month. Even though we're waaaaay down at the bottom of the list, I think these communications will make the wait so much easier.

I probably won't be saying that in 8 months from now, but at least I'm saying it now!!!

A Gazillion News Bulletins

2009-12-16T19:15:00.004-05:00

Holy geez the last couple of weeks have been c-r-a-z-y busy. Report cards, Christmas concerts, parent-teacher interviews, etc. etc. etc. I am like, a gazillion posts behind. Please don't ditch my blog because I was a sucky poster during the last few weeks. I'm back and with a vengeance.

News Bulletin #1

A few days ago our adoption agency, Imagine Adoption, was finally re-licensed by the Ministry of Ontario. Awesome.

News Bulletin #2

This morning, Imagine Adoption's NGO license renewal in Ethiopia was also approved. Wickedly awesome.

News Bulletin #3

IMAGINE ADOPTION GAVE OUT REFERRALS TO AT LEAST TWO FAMILIES TODAY! Wickedly awesome awesomeness.

I am over-the-moon giddy and teary-eyed and excited. I can't even contain all of this excitement! This whole adoption thing is back on. For real. Real children are getting referred to real families. I am so ecstatic for the families that received their amazing news today. They have been waiting f-o-r-e-v-e-r for their referrals.

News Bulletin #4 (Had to Add This One In)

We are at least 2 spots closer to the top of the list. GIDDY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dossier is Ready and Sitting in a Filing Cabinet... Wah Wah Wah.

2009-12-12T14:04:00.010-05:00

Look! It's our dossier..... third from the back!!! ;)

Well, our dossier was completed this week and is now in the "official" line to be sent to Ethiopia.

I'm still bitter and grumpy about the whole dossiers-staying-in-Canada-until-tonnes-of-people-have-their-referrals thing. I understand why the agency is keeping our files here, however I still don't like it much.

How will we ever get a referral with our dossier sitting in a filing cabinet in Cambridge, Ontario?

Sigh.

On a positive note, our Christmas tree is smelling all fresh and scotch-pine-y. Time to decorate!

Adoption Angle in "The Blind Side"

2009-12-07T16:03:00.003-05:00

I was finally able to go and see the movie The Blind Side now that the hysterical-New-Moon people have finally cleared out of the theatres a bit (no offense).

I was curious about the film because I knew it was based on a true story, and I also knew it had a bit of a transracial adoption angle.

I really, really loved it. It made we all wistful and misty-eyed. Alex even gave me a few arm squeezes.

Anyway, if you haven't seen it I would recommend that you do. Very cute.

The real Michael Oher and his adoptive parents:

Adoption Distraction Project #1: A Success

2009-12-05T17:57:00.007-05:00

So it ended up taking me about 8 hours to make one cushion but in the end..... a success! I think this adoption-distraction business is going to work.

All ready to go the night before.....

FINALLY done.

The mess to prove that yes, I actually did it.

Round 2: The Other Matching Cushion starts tomorrow. :)

Long Wait Ahead = Getting My Craft On

2009-12-03T21:37:00.007-05:00

I think I've made a decision. I think I'm going to get my craft on.

Obviously I have a huge, long, unimaginable wait coming up. I don't even want to think about how ridiculously long this wait is going to be. It's no secret that I am adoption-information-blog-forum-article-book-obsessed. I can't imagine that hitting refresh every 2 seconds for the next 2+ years is going to do anything for my sanity.

Now let's rewind here for a minute. I'm always extremely jealous of all those crafty types. You know the ones. They make things. Nice things. Home-made things. Cute things. I always ooooh and ahhhhh over their crafty little doo-dads and and then beg Alex incessantly to buy them for me.

Brilliant idea coming up..... are you with me on this...... what if I take all of my nervous, anxious, adoption-obsessed energy and I put it towards becoming one of those crafty people!?!?!?!?!?

I could make curtains for Roary's friend's bedroom.

I could knit little hats and booties for Roary's friend.

I could sew sweet, ethnic dolls for Roary's friend's toy collection.

Okay maybe I'm getting ahead of myself. But maybe, just maybe, I have found a productive way to distract myself from the dreaded referral wait.

Project One: Make a Cushion is starting on Saturday morning. With two cups of coffee. And my new book called Sewing 101.

P.S. Please stop imagining me as an old curtain-making, sewing, knitting grandma-type.

P.S.S. Please imagine me as a hip, creative, Etsy-shop-wannabe-type.

P.S.S. I don't really know how to knit, or sew, or do anything crafty. Yet.

Next 3 Things I Am Waiting (Non) Patiently For

2009-11-30T19:28:00.008-05:00

List of Things I am Waiting (Non) Patiently For

1. The email that says our dossier file is COMPLETE and will be placed in the "queue".

Note 1: Picture my face all scrunched up like I'm British and ate a sour grape when you read the word "queue". That word is almost as dorky as "dossier". Ooooh I should really use them both in one sentence.

Revised List of Things I am Waiting (Non) Patiently For

1. The email that says our file is COMPLETE and will be placed in the "waiting dossier queue". Ewwwww!

2. The list. You know the one I'm talking about. The list that will show us all how many families there are in total, what their requests are, and where we are on the list.

Note 2: I did not, repeat did not, secretly wish that we got bumped up a bunch of spots when some families didn't resign with Imagine. That wouldn't be nice. So of course I didn't do that.

3. The first referral. I think we will all cry insane tears of joy for the first family who makes it through this whole scandal/mess and receives a referral. It will be so exciting!

Note 3: This whole list came about because I'm upstairs and Alex thinks I'm working on my report cards. But really I'm not. Hee hee!

Note 4: Yes, I know that impatiently is a word but non-patiently sounds better. More defiant. Oh yes.

The Magic Number of 246

2009-11-30T16:45:00.007-05:00

246 families have signed their renewal contracts with Imagine and have paid their retainer fees. I can't believe I am finally saying this but we are BACK ON BABY.

246, hee hee.

246, la la la.

246, doo dee doo.

246, woohoo!

Wow, that really made no sense. But that's okay because I'm giddy. Let's celebrate!

Amharic Kids Supports Imagine Adoption - Check it Out

2009-11-29T13:02:00.002-05:00

This lovely company has offered to donate 15% of their sales between November 29th and December 5th to Imagine Adoption.

If you are interested in purchasing something from the site, use this special link to place your order. You will also receive a free pack of Ethiopian Traditional Art Greeting Cards.

Well how 'bout that.

Special Link: http://www.shopamharickids.com/?Click572
Regular Site Address: http://www.amharickids.com/

A Winter Song for Roary's Friend

2009-11-28T12:04:00.010-05:00

Sara Bareilles & Ingrid Michaelson ‘Winter Song’ Video popdirt.com- Watch more Videos at Vodpod.

This is the sweetest song/video ever made. I want to just hop right into it and live there forever. It makes me think of Roary's friend. And going tobogganing.

This is my winter song.

December never felt so wrong,

Cause you're not where you belong;

Inside my arms.

This is my winter song to you.

The storm is coming soon,

It rolls in from the sea.

My love a beacon in the night.

My words will be your light,

To carry you to me.

Official Sounding or What!?

2009-11-27T22:06:00.010-05:00

We found out from our social worker a few weeks ago that the Ministry had issued our letter of approval. I wrote a post about it and got a bunch of congratulations (thanks, that was nice). But yesterday we actually got to SEE the letter. Our caseworker (I think all of us have the same one now, haha) emailed us a scanned copy of the letter.

It sounds all official and legal and stuff. Here's what it said at the bottom:

"Once the adoption is finalized, Ontario legislation recognizes the child/twins as a full member(s) of the adopting family and as such, the child/twins is/are treated in the same manner as all other children of legally constituted families.

Ontario welcomes the child/twins from Ethiopia as the legal son(s) and/or daughter(s) of Alexander MiddleName LastName and Sarah MiddleName LastName."

Um, did I just read the words "legislation" and "legally" and "son(s) and/or daughter(s)" in the same paragraph as our names?

The Poll

2009-11-27T16:56:00.004-05:00

There's a poll on one of the adoption forums that I've checked about 5000 times since the renewal contracts were sent out. The poll asks if Imagine Adoption families are or are not planning to send in their new retainer agreements and renewal fees. I just want the number of yessers to be 200 so that we can all breathe a huge sigh of relief and move on to the next step.... which will hopefully be some referrals for families who have been waiting for what seems like forever. Right now the poll is sitting at 105 yes votes. Is it safe to assume that there are 95 families out there who are not internet junkies like us who have no idea the poll even exists but will be saying yes anyway? Three more days and we find out the answer..... come on Monday! (Don't say that too often, hee hee.)

Shabang! Done the Letter.

2009-11-23T21:47:00.003-05:00

After almost two hours, four font changes, 10+ thesaurus look-ups, and endless deleting and retyping, it's finally done.

Arial? No. Candy Randy? No. Georgia? No. Garamond? Yes. Very fancy.

Letter to MOWA - Need a Pep Talk

2009-11-23T19:55:00.010-05:00

Despite working in a somewhat professional job (I say somewhat because I often do things like read in a robot voice and say things like "please stop picking your nose") I find it extremely difficult to write anything in a serious, composed, professional way.

Things I thoroughly enjoy when writing:

- using run-on sentences

- going crazy with italics (you know, to sound all dramatic)

- adding smiley faces everywhere

- putting everything in brackets (like this)

- being grammatically incorrect

- using words that aren't really words (wahoo, geez, yay, etc.)

- using cute and/or crazy fonts (I love you Fonts4Kids!!!!)

Things I absolutely detest when writing:

- not being able to do any of the above things

So. Back to my letter for the Ministry of Woman's Affairs in Ethiopia. I'm um, having a hard time writing it. You see, even though I think and feel the things I'm supposed to write in the letter, for some reason I have an extremely hard time writing them down. In fact, I only wrote two sentences of the letter before I stopped and decided that it was essential that I write this post instead. It is probably no surprise to you that it is the very last thing I have to do for our dossier. Everything else is done and we have our appointment to get all of the documents notarized at the lawyers tomorrow.

If I could write a letter to myself right now it would say:

Dear Sarah,

You suck. Stop being a procrastinator and write the letter. Write. The. Letter. WRITE THE LETTER DAMMIT!!!!!!!

A Few Travels for Itsy Bitsy Traveller

2009-11-21T11:48:00.005-05:00

Look what I got in the mail yesterday!!! Sooooo cute! Five bucks for this cutie patootie with a side pony? And 100% of proceeds go to families affected by HIV/Aids? I'll take it!

My little traveller has already been to Old Navy, Winners, Canadian Tire, and Tim Hortons. Quite the little Christmas shopper she is already. Check 'em out at:

http://www.littletravellers.net/

Movie Night Coming Up!

2009-11-17T18:04:00.004-05:00

Anyone else going to see this movie??? I am, I am, I am. Yeah, I'm a sucker for feel-good underdog movies. Despite all that, I love how it is based on a true story of transracial adoption.

Here's a blurb from Yahoo Movies:

Michael Oher, a homeless African-American youngster from a broken home, is taken in by the Touhys, a well-to-do white family who help him fulfill his potential. At the same time, Oher's presence in the Touhys' lives leads them to some insightful self-discoveries of their own. Living in his new environment, the teen faces a completely different set of challenges to overcome. As a football player and student, Oher works hard and, with the help of his coaches and adopted family, becomes an All-American offensive left tackle.

A Lollipop for You

2009-11-17T17:48:00.003-05:00

Yes, it's for you.

This silly little blog recently surpassed 5000 hits. Thanks to you guys. (And a couple of random people who searched google for "how to draw Roary" and "my golden retriever is lonely".) Thank you for stopping by.... and leaving your little comments here and there. I never hit refresh obsessively to see if I have any new comments. ;)

Guess Where I Went Today?

2009-11-16T17:55:00.005-05:00

Yoooooouuuuuuuuuuuu guessed it.

Yup. The post office. Again. But THIS TIME I was mailing my retainer agreement and renewal fee to Imagine.

Only 14 more days until we find out if enough families did the same and the agency has enough families/funds to continue.... biting my fingernails.......

That's Me - Compulsive Mail Checker

2009-11-16T17:38:00.004-05:00

I was surfing the net again, being all productive as usual, when I came across this little cartoon. This is SO me.... speeding to get to the mailbox, checking it on Saturday even when I got the mail on Friday and know that no mail gets delivered on the weekend. Lately I've been checking obsessively for my little traveller dolls. I'm so excited!

Check the Done Box... Finally.

2009-11-15T20:04:00.008-05:00

When I first started the task of making a photo album for our dossier, I was kind of overwhelmed. I wasn't sure if I should buy an actual photo album or make a home-made one. I wasn't sure how big or small it should be, or what kind of pictures to include, or how many to include, or if Roary should be in it or not.

I finally decided to make an online photobook, but I was nervous because I wasn't sure how it would turn out.

I think it turned out pretty well, although I made a small mistake (gasp) when I was labeling one of the pictures. On the bedroom/bathroom photo page I labeled a bedroom as a bathroom. Should I send it like that? What if they think we keep beds in our bathrooms?!?!? Or even worse, that we pee on our bed!?!?!? Doh!

Here are some pics in case you're curious how it turned out. To tell you the truth I've never seen a picture of anyone else's dossier photo-album (I know, right, even on all those blogs I read).

Note 1: I forgot that I included a teeny tiny picture of Roary when he was a puppy. Hopefully he'll stop giving me the silent treatment now.

Note 2: I especially enjoy that on our "hobby/interest" page I used a picture of me holding a pumpkin and Alex in a snowmobile outfit (he doesn't have a snowmobile). Yeah. That's what we do for fun over in Ontario.... hold vegetables and sit in the snow.

Catchy Song Leads to Happy Adoption Story

2009-11-14T12:59:00.002-05:00

I heard this catchy song on the radio awhile ago, and since I love r&b and reggae, I was dying to find out what the song was called and who sang it (but not so I could illegally download it, of course). After listening to the radio for what seemed like forever (two weeks), I finally heard the song again and found out the song title and artist.

Here's what came up when I googled the artist. If you read it I can guarantee that it will make you all warm and fuzzy inside....

From Wikipedia:

Michael Franti is an American poet, musician, and composer of African, Native American, Irish, French, and German descent. Franti is the creator and lead vocalist of Michael Franti & Spearhead, a band that blends hip hop with a variety of other styles including funk, reggae, jazz, folk, and rock. He is also an outspoken supporter for a wide spectrum of peace and social justice issues.

Michael Franti was adopted by Carole Wisti and Charles Franti, a white Finnish American couple in Oakland, who had three biological children and one other adopted African American son.

From http://www.michaelfranti.com/:

MICHAEL TO PERFORM ON HOLIDAY SPECIAL CELEBRATING THE JOYS OF ADOPTION

“The 11th annual Home For The Holidays,” a very special entertainment special to be aired on Wednesday, Dec. 23 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network will include performances by Michael Franti and will feature his story of adoption. The special will have performances by Faith Hill, who is also hosting the show, Mary J. Blige, Reba McEntire, Shakira, Carrie Underwood and with Jenna Elfman and Nia Vardalos presenting inspirational stories about adoption.

Following the success of the past 10 annual shows, "A Home For The Holidays" continue to tell touching stories that inspire and give a first hand look about foster care adoption to raise awareness for this important social issue and to inspire people to adopt and give a child 'a home for the holidays.' Musical performances frame the emotional story segments which are presented by the featured celebrities who either have their own adoption experiences or are involved with children's issues and want to voice the issue. Michael Franti is an adopted child and his story segment will introduce you to his brothers, Dan and Matthew and his mother Carol that brought him into her family at a young age.

The special is presented in association with the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption dedicated to dramatically increasing the adoptions of the more than 129,000 waiting children in the United States foster care system and The Children's Action Network was founded in 1990 by leaders in the entertainment industry to harness the power of the entertainment media on behalf of children. The special is a part of CAN's National Adoption Campaign to raise awareness of the joys of adopting and to find homes for the children who are waiting.

Little Traveller Dolls - HIV/AIDS Initiative

2009-11-11T20:12:00.010-05:00

Aren't these just the cutest things you have ever SEEN?!? Check 'em out at the following site:

http://www.littletravellers.net/

The dolls are made by women who are affected by HIV/AIDS in South Africa. The dolls/pins are sold for $5 each, with 100% of the proceeds going to help fight HIV/AIDS in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa.

P.S. Don't tell Alex but I ordered some to make myself feel better. And it worked!

Adoption Institute Research

2009-11-11T12:38:00.002-05:00

Article: Beyond Culture Camp: Promoting Healthy Identity Formation in Adoption
Authors: Hollee McGinnis, Susan Livingston Smith, Dr. Scott D. Ryan, and Dr. Jeanne A. Howard
Published: 2009 November. New York NY: Evan B. Donaldson Adoption InstituteDocument
Type: Research (112 pages)

This study, released in November, is the broadest, most extensive examination of adult adoptive identity to date, based on input from the primary experts on the subject: adults who were adopted as children.

http://www.adoptioninstitute.org/research/2009_11_culture_camp.php

Sick and Sad. Warning: This is Depressing.

2009-11-10T17:19:00.004-05:00

I try not to write too many of these depressing posts but today I am and I don't care. Boo to the world. (Except you because you're reading this.)

The news that I didn't want to hear came today. The question that was burning up my insides has finally been answered.

My question was, "WHEN WILL MY DOSSIER BE SENT TO ETHIOPIA?!?!?"

The answer from the agency is, when the bulk of families whose dossiers are already in Ethiopia have their child referrals.

Let's do some math here. There are an estimated 240 families with dossiers in Ethiopia right now. At the anticipated rate of 10-15 referrals per month, they will all have their referrals in two years. So that means my dossier will be sent to Ethiopia in TWO YEARS and then I will have to wait another ONE to TWO YEARS for a referral.

That's FOUR YEARS, people, four years.

If I haven't died of H1N1 by then, I'll probably be wearing high-waisted jeans which is just as horrific.

Today I hate international adoption. I hate it even more than this rotten sore throat.