I should be writing a paper, but...

... this Web site has been far more entertaining.  These notes are hilarious!  I can think of a couple I'd like to send to the professor who requires the 10-page papers on exciting topics like budgets and strategic career plans.  

We Are Through Review!!

We are finally out of review!!  In the world of international adoption from China, that means that nearly 18 months (as of July 5) after being logged in, our dossier has been reviewed by the CCAA and we made it through the process without being questioned or needing to provide additional documents.   If you want to know more about the review process, click here. 

This is a big milestone.  In the good old days, it would mean that a referral is only a few months away, but with the current state of affairs, this is not necessarily the case.  (sigh.)  The good news is that there is very little chance at this point the CCAA will tell our agency that we are not eligible to adopt for some reason.  And if we do receive and accept a referral for a Waiting Child, the process and time to travel is supposed to go more quickly since we are already through review.  I've been holding my breath a little knowing that we are supposed to be reviewed under the old regulations that were in place when we mailed off our dossier in December of 2006, and that we won't qualify under the new regs established in May 2007.  I was a little afraid that somehow we would not pass muster. 

It's a bit of an anti-climatic milestone, since we don't get a big old certificate or anything special to indicate we passed review,  except an e-mail from our agency saying that January 2007 dossiers are done.  It is very nice to see the news on the box that Rumor Queen keeps posted on her Web site now that it's no longer on the CCAA Web site.  It's still a major step in the process, and has given me a bit of renewed hope that someday we really will be on a plane to China to bring home our daughter.

Matching room, here we come!!

Porch Time

I'm  feeling rather rusty at posting, since it's been almost a month.  I think that blogging is more like going back to the gym to work out than riding a bike.  It's easy to remember how to do it, just hard to get started after a long time away.  I generally prefer to sit on the couch.  

Where was I? For the internets who haven't talked to me recently, things were insanely busy at work for the final month of school.  I had no idea how much work goes into finishing the year in a school library media center.  I also started my two summer classes, and one of my professors has required 6 + page papers for every assignment.  With at least 10 references.  Ugh.  

Something had to give. Blogging, unfortunately, was first.  Next was laundry, house cleaning, and  cooking. (oh well!)  

It wasn't all work and no play, though.  

I spent the first weekend in June in Spartanburg with Allison, Leslie, and Reagan.  We shopped, saw "Sex and the City," and of course talked and talked and talked.  It was a fun little taste of what is to come later this month during Girls Beach Week at the Little Acorn.  

My parents arrived for a visit on June 6, which was also the last day of school.  Unfortunately, their arrival coincided with a massive heat wave, so we adjusted our plans to involve all air-conditioned activities (no Pops in the Park, sadly).  We shopped, gorged on delicious Italian food at Maggiano's up at SouthPark, and went to see "Kung Fu Panda" (hilarious, by the way. Mark did NOT want to see it, but he was snorting with laughter within the first half-hour.) Mom and I got pedicures, and Dad even came out to school and helped me straighten the shelves on my final workday.  Thanks, Dad!

Then, my sister Hillary and niece Emily arrived.  They enjoyed hanging out here with us for a couple of days (and Emily enjoyed a playdate with Maggie) before heading off to the North Georgia cabin for a week's vacation with Mom & Dad.  Mark and I followed on Friday morning, after we finished some schoolwork.   

The cabin was the best. thing. ever.  after the craziness and stress I have been under for the past month.  It's always a peaceful retreat from the world, since it is literally in the middle of the woods.  (No TV.  No cell service to speak of.  No internet!)  My favorite favorite thing to do is hang out on the porch and read or chat, or just look at the mountains around us and the creek below.  It is a little piece of heaven.

Sunset, mountain style

 

We did lots of fun things in the mountains: a scenic train ride along the Toccoa River,  yummy meals at the Smith House and Rib Country, and a trip to Babyland General Hospital, home of the Cabbage Patch Kid dolls.  The best parts were out at the cabin with my family:  chasing and catching fireflies with Emily and Mark, visiting on the porch with my folks, Hillary, and my Aunt Celia and Uncle Dick, making s'mores and watching a full moon rise over the mountain ridges.  

We want s'more!

Dad, Mom (aka Nana & Pop-Pop), Emily, & Hillary on the Blue Ridge Scenic Train

Me and Emily hanging out at the creek.