Monday, March 31, 2008
Off for some fun
Friday, March 28, 2008
issues - computer related - and Friday miscellaneous
(Taz, in honor of my boss who called me into work on my day off)
this is my third post today. and no, i'm not up by three posts, I'm clearly down one. My computer AND blogger are giving my fits. I had to remove the election poll thingy, and will try to get the link back up if you are interested. It really was a cool poll.
I'm happy to report today WAS going to be a day off. Yes, that's right. OFF WORK, but I got called in by my boss (whom I lovingly call Taz after the loony tunes cartoon character) who cares not for days off. So, I hope to at least have 1/2 a day off as today is my massage and facial. Tomorrow is nails. Last night was shopping for new spring clothes... it's been good. I haven't done shopping if ANY KIND - aside from absolute the bare minimum grocery shopping - for literally 5 months. MY wardrobe is in desperate need of freshing up. And frankly, I could use some new shoes too, now that I'm thinking of it... One thing at a time. Oh, and next week I'm getting my hair done. Crazy! (Just for the record, I got a substantial - to me - bonus at work, so 1/2 the money is going to ME for ME stuff, and the other half is going to the Vietnam trip when-ever that is). Yay.
Ok, back to work.....happy Friday, people.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Still hanging tough
Anyway, I'm looking forward to a nice relaxing weekend this weekend. I've even got an appointment to get a massage and facial. Maybe I'll go get my nails done too. Take some time for myself...What a novel idea.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Sunday, March 23, 2008
A Lovely Weekend - and thoughts on my state-of-mind
A very wise woman (my mom, of course) once told me sometimes you have to let go before anything will happen. At the time it seemed utterly ridiculous, and I thought she was crazy. However, then, and now, wiser words have never been spoken. Last weekend I had truly hit rock bottom. I can't really explain what that means, other than I was as low as I've been in 10 years, and had zero desire to get out of bed. I began taking Minute's pictures down, and closed the door to the nursery. I didn't speak M's name for days... By this Friday, I was beginning to understand that I had gone through a process called "letting go". Things will happen as they happen. I HAVE to believe this. I HAVE to stop thinking about my life on hold, and start BEING IN MY LIFE again. Now, I am still sleeping terribly, and sometimes I remember to be sad a little...but for the most part, I'm going on living, and hoping that in time, I WILL TRAVEL TO VIETNAM...
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
6 TAs came in yesterday* updated
But progress appears to be being made....S-L-O-W-L-Y.
*Also wanted to mention that we received information from our agency last night that they were forced to cut their staff back by over 50%. They are an agency that had programs in multiple countries, although Guatemala was their largest program. Now, with the uncertainty in the adoption world, smaller agencies are not only having to make cut-backs, but god-forbid, shutting their doors. It is a scary and very sad time in the adoption world right now.
Good Vibes for Fellow PAP
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
News Article - We've hit the big time
News and Observer
Monday, March 17, 2008
It's official - officially BS**
Dear Mr./Ms. ****,
The USCIS office in
Please be advised that (Minute's birth -hospital) administrators and Vietnamese officials have prevented the U.S. Government from conducting an inquiry into the status of the child identified in your petition. This interference will add significant time to the processing of your case while the U.S. Government seeks to resolve the problem or find alternative ways to conduct its inquiry. You should know that this interference could result in a determination that the child may not be eligible to immigrate to the
In all cases, USCIS strongly recommends that you do not travel to
If you do not wish to wait until such time as the Vietnamese authorities allow the
Alternatively, you may wish to consult with your adoption services provider or attorney to consider the other options that are available in your particular case, including, but not limited to, withdrawing your petition, filing a new Form I-600 after identifying another child for adoption, filing a new Form I-600A and selecting a different country, or filing a written request for a change of country with USCIS. Please note that these options may require a new or updated home study and/or incur additional fees.
Friday, March 14, 2008
commentors: thanks!
Thursday, March 13, 2008
WARNING - FOUL language imminent
Also, as another "read the fine print" note: this information came from our agency. It is not meant to be distributed into the "public" so please, don't post anything that is obviously not my ramblings anywhere else. When we get our letter, I'll post the whole fucking thing and you can post away! For now, please respect that this is a "private" post for your eyes only.
So, just this very second I received a note from our agency (who, BTW, is WONDERFUL, and I can not say enough good things about). It states that they have been told, as have other agencies, the hospital where my son was born "have prevented the US Government from conducting an inquiry* to the status of (insert my kid's name here)". And ultimately, they go on to say that this "interference could result in a denial of (our) petition" (not letting us adopt the Minute, basically). They go on to say that we should "consider other options...including, but not limited to withdrawing our petition".
Seriously? WHAT THE FUCK, people? Hello! Wake up, CIS. Think about what is fucking important here. Is it you bullying these people into believing the US is a great and magnanimous country that must be kowtowed to OR ELSE, or is it the BABIES WAITING TO BE ADOPTED AND THE FAMILIES WHO NEED TO ADOPT THESE BABIES????!!!!!!!!!!
Our agency told us
- that they won't let CIS get away with this, and we WILL NOT LOSE our referrals. and
- they are doing everything they can to rectify the situation (and I really really believe them) (more on this tomorrow possibly)
I cannot think about this anymore right now. I'm emotionally exhausted. I'm also so angry I could eat nails. If I had someone to punch, I'd actually do it.
* What this means is that our US government - CIS - wants to waltz into the hospital, bother hard working people, question and threaten anyone they want on ANY TIME FRAME THEY WANT, and if they are asked politely to NOT bully nurses, doctors, and residents, then CIS packs up it's toys and goes home to complain that they were "prevented from doing the inquiry". Keep in mind here that we have the hospital's official paperwork on Minute's case, on his abandonment, and even the policeman's name who found him, filed the reports, etc. So I KNOW CIS has this same paperwork. They just don't "trust" it, and wants to do not ONE but TWO "field checks" on the case. Like after 8 months they are going to come up with anything they didn't know before!
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Agency conference call RE: VN
Right now, families that have waited over the 60 day period SHOULD get their travel approvals (TA) sometime soon-ish. (In fact, our agency had ONE last week. That's ONE SINGLE TA since November). Our case has gone into day 42, I think. Anyway, just over 40 days. That means we are not likely to get our TA any TIME SOON. Not in the next 20 days, anyway. After that, who the hell knows. Minute may very well turn 10 months old before we travel.
Can I just say, it sucks. It makes me absolutely sick to my stomach. I can't even put into words how sick I am right now.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Checking in
Wow, what a drag I've become. I think I need a mental health day. Anyone out there want to go shopping with me this weekend? I promise to talk about how much I hate CIS and the stupid Wait only 5 times an hour.... anyone? I do sound like fun right now, don't I? Ok, maybe not so much.
Oh well, I guess I should get back to.... WORK. Ug.
Jen, where are you when I need a SERIOUS coffee break, girlfriend?!!
Sunday, March 09, 2008
G'Day Mate
Howdy. I'm feeling a bit frantic this weekend with the reminder I received in my email box last week that I have 2 papers and 2 presentations due VERY VERY soon in anticipation of my upcoming trip Down Under. In fact, as luck would have it, my 2 papers are due in 6 weeks. Normally that wouldn't be an issue, as I know my subject and they aren't difficult topics, HOWEVER, I do SOMEDAY SOON hope to travel to Vietnam... which would put a serious crimp in my writing time, don'tcha' think?? SO, I've been working ALL weekend on my first (and more difficult) paper for the conference. Interestingly enough, I am considered one of the leading "experts" in my field of study (totally SCARY!!!), which is why I've been asked to speak at this conference. Anyway, in case you've had your head under a rock, OR simply missed my previous posts on the subject, here's where I'm going in July: AGCSA conference '08.
Hey, Big Mama, how about that? Me following in yer footsteps!! Not too shabby, eh?
Friday, March 07, 2008
OMG
Thursday, March 06, 2008
An another one bites the dust
More later...
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
China who?
Referrals arrived today for families whose dossiers were received in China between December 28, 2005 and January 4, 2006.
Hey, 2006! We're 6 months away from LID's, although at the rate China's been going, it could take another 2 years to get to June 2006... Best guess? a full year and some change. As far as I see it, the only good f-ing news here? Baby M will have a super cool older brother, and the Minute might even be old enough to remember the trip to China to pick up his little sister...
and if you suspect I am SOOOO over China right now, you'd be right. Do I still dream of Baby Magic? You bet your butt I do. Do I sit and pine away over her? Nope. I figure, she will come when she comes. I just hope I'm not gearing up for my 40th birthday party when we finally get the call...
Monday, March 03, 2008
Monday - coffee, work, sunshine (and some foul language tossed in for good measure)
POST SANITIZED ........
Anyway, last week was a bad bad week for me. It ended in a big emotional blow-up, and I thought today would be a good day to re-group. And here I am blogging and NOT working... So, back to work for me.
On one last note: I have been waiting for new pictures of the Minute for 2 weeks. I finally wrote our agency and BEGGED for the pictures. I should hear something back today, although it night not be pictures yet. They will get them to me when they have time, and I understand that. But I am tired of WAITING.... (how many times have y'all hear me say THAT?! heh).
And last but not least, my work project tomorrow: I'm going here. Is that cool, or what?!!