Things Available Locally

Photo Albums – hand made with leather and bone, etc. LOVELY. ($20 - $100 depending on size) A definate MUST HAVE.
Scrapbooks – same thing. Pricey, but worth it. ($60 - $120 depending on style and size)
Leather beaded sandals. Pick your color, pick your style! Great, and like $20 a pair.
Kazuri Beads – fab necklaces, etc. www.kazuribeads.co.uk/ (yes – you can go to the factory!!)
Swim Suit Wraps www.kikoy.com (or great fabric in general to make nursery items!!)
Johnson & Johnson Baby Bath Products
Colgate Toothpaste
Oral B Toothbrushes
Shampoo and Conditioner (Pantene, Organix, Sun Silk, etc)
Body Wash & Lotions (Fa, Dove, etc, plus ones from a healthfood store)
Avent Baby Bottles, Soothers, etc… a bit pricey – but good quality.
Normal Pampers - made in Egypt, very absorbent, but with a thin plastic outer shell.
Bath Towels - grocery stores have them for like $6! Not bad.
Baby Spit Rags - very reasonable - 12 for... $4? But you will need to take a taxi into town to get them - we have a street dedicated to sewing supplies and baby stuff! Imagine.
Baby Flannel Blankets - same thing - cheap ($3), but you have to go into town to get them.
Baby Q-Tips - Septona brand. Cheap, and pretty good. Like - $3 per box of 100.
Baby Board Books - the price is about $10 - $20 canadian per book, but easier than packing heavy things, if you ask me!
Baby Baths – plastic kind with a moulded seat.
Plastic Stuff in general – 2 local companies that produce just about everything for cheap
Medications – pharmacies are cheaper here by far – no prescriptions required.
Vitamins and Healthcare Products - we have two healthfood stores, which carry just about everything these days!

Did I miss anything? Just ask!!

Things to Bring with You

Face Care
House slippers and/or cozy sox’s (It gets cold inside the house at night)
Deodorant - the best kind you can get here is Nivea... it works in a pinch, but, seriously.
Baby’s Clothes & Shoes - you do NOT want to buy ONE THING locally!! FAR too expensive, and the quality is poor.... well - poor-ISH!
Baby Blankets - same thing - best to bring one with you. Fleece ones here are.. $80 ??
Baby Slings (2 – one for the laundry) www.hotslings.com
Hip Seat Carrier - FABULOUS – best for travelling back home! I am wearing mine in the picture on the right - I wear it ALL the time! Saves the shoulders and back - completely. www.hippychick.com
www.hippychick.com/index.cfm/children/Products.List/category_id/65
Concentrated Tylenol Infant Drops I would bring a lot – like 6 or 12 bottles. (they’re small!!)
Fancy Thermometer (IF you have one – no biggie. Normal ones are cheap here.)
Baby Toys… Discovery Toys – Rattles, and “Stacktivities” (they are great and light weight)
Clamp-On High Chair – great for restaurants, and at your apartment or hotel.
Stroller… optional, but you can if you like. I use the hipseat instead. Easier. People carry your shopping for you here – so a stroller can be a bit of a hassle, if you ask me.
Travel cot/playpen/crib combo – might be handy for your child to sleep in, etc.
Car Seat – another pain in the ass. I wouldn’t bother… oops! Not to be a bad mother! But in a dirty taxi, I would rather hold the kid and get in and out faster. It’s up to you, though.
Playtex Baby Bottles - or whatever feeding system you prefer. You can get Avent brand here.
Pampers Active Fit - these are my favorite. Super thin, super absorbent (12 hours plus), and have a breathable fabric feeling outer shell. When you can find them here, they are $30 - $40 per pack of 32. (ouch!!) I use them during the night, and on outings.
Stickers for Scrapbooking – if you are doing the scrapbook thing! Can’t get jack here.

Sigh...

So I got another call from New Life Home… they wanted us to come over on Tuesday afternoon at 3:00 to select our daughter! How freakin’ HEARTBREAKING to have to DECLINE. I explained that we have an upcoming trip abroad, and have to wait until we come back to select our daughter – so we don’t have to leave her behind. It just sucked. I felt like SUCH a looser. I still do. I dunno. It’s just depressing to be the one responsible for the hold-up…

I’ll babble more when my mood improves… no point whining all over the place!!

Late Night Ponderings...

Thank you Tracey!!! (She wrote another very nice thing on her blog!)

Anyway - Yes - I am exhaused! Been fiddlign with this blog, and downloading the picaboo software ( www.picaboo.com ) for HOURS - my connection is so slow!! 88% now - had to restart it 5 times so far! (make that SIX...)

Anwyay - I have to admit I am kinda NERVOUS. I mean - it is one thing to get yourself approved, and quite another to have an APPOINTMENT to SELECT your new DAUGHTER!! Ya know? It's overwhelming. Truely. It's like - when they called to say we are approved to adopt achild, they said we were to come on MONDAY to select her... and I mean - MONDAY??? That is like a few HOURS away!! It's shocking. My brain can't wrap itself around it, for some reason.

It's like a hair appointment, or something casual like that!!

And I am really a bit concerned how I can handle both children at night... Meer is still fully dependant - wakes several times per night, and is used to having my full attention... ya know?

Our housegirl - Josaphine - she has just come back to work after having her baby. Her daughter is 4 months old, and living in the staff quarters. I take Meer out to see her everyday (as much as I can really!) and carry her around, etc, just to see if I can do it! So far I have handled both kids for like 15 minutes... twice. ha ha ha!! During the day I am pretty sure I can handle - especially considering I have help if I need it 8am - 5pm Monday to Saturday! But at night... I think it might be rough for a few days until everyone gets a routine down.

I know I am getting ahead of myself - still have to go and "select" our daugher. But now that we CAN... it's so much more real! And the waiting is harder to do, considering WE are the ones dragging our feet... we basically HAVE TO wait until we come back from our trip... and it is almost painful not having definate dates for our trip, etc. And then...

Is our daughter born yet? Is she crying right now? Is she scared? Is she not born yet? Is her birthmother thinking kindly towards her if she isn't born yet? Is she being cared for by someone? Is she safe?

Oh - I could go on. It's a whole new emotional ride to keep my brain and heart busy while we wait...

Lifebooks - Activites for Waiting Parents

* Prior to your trip, compose a list of questions about your child’s early life.

* Emphasize questions relating to her background, such as when she came to the orphanage or foster home and who took care of her there, rather than her routine (such as her sleep schedule, which will be disrupted anyway).

* Try to anticipate the questions your child may have in the future.

* Talk with other adoptive parents about information they or their children wish they had.

* Exercising cultural sensitivity, gather as much relevant information for your child during your trip as you are able. Is it possible for you to visit your child’s birthfamily, foster parents, people who cared for your child—or your child’s birthplace?

* While traveling, when you’re in between trips to court or to the consulate, awake at night, or waiting for a plane, write it all down!

Lifebooks - What to Include

What do you imagine your child will wish to know about her earliest days, months, or years? Even though you probably don’t have the answers to all—or even some—of these questions, it’s helpful to keep them in mind.

1. Who gave birth to me?

2. Why couldn’t my birthparents raise me?

3. How and when did I get from my birthparents to the orphanage, foster parents, or other caretakers?

4. Who gave me my name?

5. What type of area or community did I live in?

6. What did my home look like? Did I share a room, crib, or bed?

7. With whom did I live? Who took care of me? What were their names?

8. What was my life like? What was my daily routine? What was my general health? What skills had I developed? Did I have any special friends? What were my favorite toys or foods? Do you know someone who may have photos or additional information about my early life?

9. Why was I not adopted sooner? (Your child was older.)

10. Where and how was my special need diagnosed? What special services or help, if any, did I receive?

11. Is my medical condition common in my country of origin?

12. Do I have biologically related siblings?

13. Did my birthparents die?

For more information, clic on the title of this post, or the following link (it's the same):
http://www.adoptivefamilies.com/articles.php?aid=350

Lifebooks - Martha's Tips

YES - click on the title of this post to view the original page - and a video of Martha doing these tips herself! (I think... my connection is WAY to sloe for that!!)

Take photos, color-copy them, cut them up, and glue them onto the pages of your scrapbook. You can also glue in all your letters, cards, and even emails from well-wishers.

Another great idea is to take a color photocopy of the front page of the newspaper for the day you're scrapbooking and then shrink it down. On the opposite page, you can write things that were relevant on that day, such as popular songs, world events, popular movies, and trends.

Take your favorite photo, upload it to your computer, and print it out nice and large. Then, paste it into the book. You can paint on one page with a travel watercolor kit, and then paste a picture onthe other page. If you're not an artist, you could just as easily journal on the page. Take pictures horizontal and vertically so you have the option of having it be a single page or a double-page spread.

Glue a Mylar envelope onto a page and tuck in the boarding passes, tickets or other memorabilia.

Included a sleeve with a DVD of the segment.

Another Tip: Take one big picture and embellish it. You can also write your child a postcard and mail it home, and then tuck that into a glassine sleeve.

You can also keep sand and small shells in a smaller envelope (don't forget to close it!) that you tuck inside.

Another trick is, instead of writing on the page of your actual scrapbook, write on a card and paste a picture in the middle, and slip that into an archival sleeve.

Lifebooks - The Time to Start is Now

Here we go again - click on the title to view the original document I stole (see author info at the end of the post) this from - I think this whole Lifebook thing is just SO important... ;-D

Good news for waiting families: pre-placement is a perfect time to start the lifebook process. Before children arrive, parents will have time - a luxury not often enjoyed once children are at home! Use that time to;

*keep a journal
*pay attention to non-critical information
*maintain alertness to the 'warm fuzzies'
*gather information by examining history and interviewing people involved in the placement.


Keeping a journal, says Massachusetts' ODS Adoption Community of New England, Inc., Executive Director Joan Clark, helps both process your own emotions and record vital pieces of information. Journaling permits us to rely on our experiences instead of our occasionally spotty memories. The adoption process can be lengthy and stressful, not unlike pregnancy. Holding on to an assortment of events, names, and hard and soft facts is next to impossible when you can't remember where you put the car keys some days. If you keep a journal, that journal will always be available for review.

Another way to start is by simply maintaining attentiveness. This is related to keeping a journal, because sometimes connections between events aren't made right away. Parents may receive pieces of information that don't fit neatly together. Only over time, after repeated exposure, do the pieces of the puzzle suggest where they might fit. In addition, synchronicity (unusual coincidence) seems to pop up a great deal in the adoption world. Sometimes these connections just call out, "This is unbelievable!" Reviewing a journal can help facilitate making these connections - but first we have to be sure we're paying attention to the details.

"A couple adopting from Russia was planning to follow their religious tradition of naming their new baby after a grandmother who had passed on... Often people choose either the first name or the first initial, which was M in this instance. When they received the referral papers, the baby's first name already started with M, and she was born the same day that the grandmother died." - as told to ODS Community NE Executive Director Joan Clark, adoptive mother.


These stories contribute to family history and honor a spiritual dimension. They enhance the 'legend' quality of the adoption story, giving children a sense that this was always meant to be. This sense may enhance positive feeling and help with acceptance of adoptive-family values once the teen years arrive!


A third way to start the lifebook process is to maintain alertness to 'warm fuzzies,' which are pieces of personal, family-oriented information that are not typically part of the official record. Waiting parents can be more sensitive to warm fuzzy facts as they engage in such pursuits as travel to birth countries, meetings with birthparents to discuss open adoption, or receipt of foster care placement information. As you move through the adoption process, developing lifebook 'antenna' for cute items and other tidbits will help you collect the stories your child will cherish.


One of the best times to soak up information - the fourth means of beginning a lifebook - is prior to placement. Once placement occurs, then the initial attachment period sets in. Sometimes this period isn't compatible with examining your child's birth history, placement history, or the reason s/he became available for adoption. (This is why it's best for foster children to be placed in adoptive homes with up-to-date lifebooks.) I often find that after placement it takes 12-18 months before the lifebook journey can be resumed.


Before placement occurs, search out those pieces of information that will turn to gold in the teen years, even during young adulthood. As the 'lifebook detective,' see this search as Job #1! The information you uncover will help lay the cornerstones of your new family's foundation.


Often, as a child becomes older, s/he will have numerous questions about the pre-placement period or birth family history. These might be as simple as, "What was the name of my favorite staff member at the orphanage?" or direct and complicated, such as, "Is my birth mother still alive?" During adolescence and early adulthood, adoption information takes on great significance.


Personally, I always hated doctor visits, when I had to say I knew nothing about my medical history. Medical information can be difficult to obtain, yet few things are as necessary to have. Pieces that may be just as vital to track down are nuggets like the birthmother's favorite childhood games. Try to interview people who had contact with birth family members. Treat the orphanage staff as extended birth family. Get quotes about your child, the full name of the person quoted, and photos.


Open adoption? Don't be shy - find out as much as possible about the birthfather, his childhood interests, talents, nationality, personality traits, favorite things. Do the same for the birthmother.


Treat each opportunity as if it were the last, because you simply never know what the future might bring. Lifebook information comes to you via official documents, your recollections and experiences, and the results of paying attention to new types of information.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Beth O'Malley, speaker, and author of "LifeBooks: Creating a Treasure for the Adopted Child", "My Foster Care Journey", and "For When I'm Famous: A Teen Foster/Adoption LifeBook", is a former foster baby, and has worked over 18 years as a social worker. She is married and lives on the ocean outside of Boston. She can be reached at 1.800.469.9666 or lifebooks@earthlink.net or her Web site, www.adoptionlifebooks.com.

Lifebooks - Every Adopted Child Needs One

Yes - Yes - I have CHEATED, and cut and pasted this from a fabulous site on the net! (See Author infor at the end of the post) The link to the site is available by clicking on the title of this post...

And also- I have begun our daughter's lifebook already - with a complete copy of the paperwork, letters, forms, photos, and then a series of letters we wrote to her - kept in matchy-matchy envelopes, and glued into the lifebook for her to open and read when she is older. It is important for me to at least try as hard as I personally can - to make sure ALL our children KNOW they were wanted and loved - even before they were born. I am hoping that starting a Lifebook early will provide the same reassurance that a pregnacy journal does. ANYWAY - enough blabbering from me! Read on...

Information is gold when you are adopted. Every tiny piece is precious, whether it's a photo or quote from the orphanage staff. LifeBooks help put all the information pieces together in a way that helps your child make sense of, and ultimately feel good, about his/her history.

People often ask me, "What is a LifeBook?" I respond, "It's the best gift you can ever give an adopted child. A LifeBook is a record of an adoptee's life that uses words, photos, your child's artwork, computer graphics, and memorabilia."

But it's more than a life story. It is a unique opportunity for parents to honor every minute of their child's life. A LifeBook is an adoption security blanket. It makes talking about adoption feel like everyday conversation. Putting your child's life story on paper is such a simple concept. Who would have guessed that the benefits are countless?

"My daughter's LifeBook only brought us closer and increased her trust in me." - Mary McGuire, adoptive mom of seven- year-old Cassie, adopted from China.

Yes, the concept is simple. Is a LifeBook therefore easy to write? Maybe, maybe not.
The stories and photos abound once a child enters his/her family. (How many boxes of pictures do you have stored away?) But that's not the child's beginning. Imagine a picture of someone that gets cut off at the knees. This is what it feels like not to have or to discuss your history. Adoptees end up with a floating or numb sensation with no roots to attach to. I should know. I spent my first five months in foster care before being adopted. I listened carefully to the silences around adoption during my childhood.

Some families are reluctant to consider a LifeBook. We have no information - how can we write when we know nothing? ¨ There are now a number of creative ways to work with little or no information. Ironically, it becomes even more critical for the child with little biographical data to have a LifeBook. Just because a child doesn't talk about it¨ doesn't mean s/he isn't thinking about the other parts of his/her life. Often it's that pre-photo period that adoptees crave to know more about.

It's that sense of missing pieces that can affect attachment or concentration for adopted children. LifeBooks can fill in the missing pieces with words, artwork, and photos, if available. The words will create pictures when none exist.

"My Mother is a social worker who now uses LifeBooks in her work. I wish LifeBooks were available 22 years ago. Maybe I wouldn't have so many unanswered questions." - Kate, age 22, adult adoptee from Colombia, herself a new social worker.

Adopted children often have secret thoughts about why they were adopted. Many believe that somehow they are responsible for the separation from their birth family. At the age of six I decided that my birth parents died in a plane crash in Africa. I didn't tell a soul. Then I changed the story. It was always death. It's the power of magical thinking. LifeBooks help reduce magical thinking and fantasy. They free up an adoptee to pay better attention in school. Or to be more available to focus on talents and interests. Better for a child to be out playing soccer or painting a picture than to be fantasizing endlessly about what happened.¨

If your child comes from another country, be aware that it's important to discuss the country's conditions and/or rules for adoptions. Often this is the only explanation a child has as to why s/he was placed. LifeBooks are the ultimate teaching tool and they can save hours of therapy later in life.

Remind your children of the ways they are connected to their adoptive family, despite not looking like you. This may be in the form of similar voice patterns, talents, food choices or interests. It took me 45 years to figure out that I got my dry sense of humor from my adoptive father. (OK, so I was a little slow.) Never assume that your child doesn't want to be reminded of these connections often. They bear repeating.

In his/her story, make your child the star and celebrate both their resiliency and survival.
"Sara's Story: What better way to welcome her than by preparing and preserving her history with a LifeBook?" - Mimi Robins, adoptive grandmother of 4 year-old-old Sara, from China.
Help your children to feel proud of their own strengths and the strengths of their birth parents. As Corinne Rayburn, LCSW, LMFT, Co-Director of the Center For Family Connections says, "Birth families are like inlaws: you didn't pick them but have to [accept] them."¨ If you don't have any information, then look to your child's talents and wonder if perhaps they got their artistic talents from that unknown birth father.

The Birthparent Page of a LifeBook really helps out with those tough adolescent years when identity issues begin to peak. The more your child knows, the more that s/he will feel "real".
Some would argue, "Our family is very open and always talks about adoption, so why write it down?" Because a book that you and your child can pick up and hold gives the adoptee control over his/her own story. A child can look at it when the urge hits, without having to ask. It becomes symbolic for adoption discussion.

"Mama read me my LifeBook," or "Where's my LifeBook, I want to show it to my friend." The older a child gets, the more tools a family needs to communicate on adoption issues.
If you are starting to think that LifeBooks are very powerful, you may be wondering where to begin. Here are a few suggestions from Dr. Vera Fahlberg, national adoption expert:

· Start with the child's birth; (Or during the adoption process if you are freaky like me!!)
· Always discuss the birth mother and birth father (even if you know nothing, say that you don't know);
· Talk about the reason for separation from the biological family.

I like to include the original birth certificate (if available). This official record always fascinates children of any age. Court papers or official records will suffice if no birth certificate is available.

Once you have laid the foundation with birth history, then add the fun part, the time when they joined your family. Don't get caught up in creating the "perfect" LifeBook. LifeBooks become worn and torn and more beautiful with age. The only real mistake you can make is never to begin. The ultimate MAGIC to creating a treasured LifeBook is to start it, work on it as a family, and give it your child. Even if it only has five pages, it is tangible proof to your child that s/he is precious enough to deserve this treasure.

See??? Couldn NOT have said it better myself!! Hope you are inspired...
;-D

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Beth O'Malley, speaker, and author of "LifeBooks: Creating a Treasure for the Adopted Child", "My Foster Care Journey", and "For When I'm Famous: A Teen Foster/Adoption LifeBook", is a former foster baby, and has worked over 18 years as a social worker. She is married and lives on the ocean outside of Boston. She can be reached at 1.800.469.9666 or lifebooks@earthlink.net or her Web site, www.adoptionlifebooks.com.

Lifebooks - Amazing Resources

Beth O'Malley's Website:
http://www.adoptionlifebooks.com/ This site, created by Beth O’Malley, author of Lifebooks: Creating a Treasure for the Adopted Child (Adoption-Works, 2000), includes articles and tips on creating lifebooks, links to other useful Web sites, a schedule of lifebook workshops and conferences around the country, and a “Lifebook Shoppe” offering workbooks designed for different age groups and situations. Parents of older children, be sure to check out For When I’m Famous, a very hip lifebook designed expressly for teens.

Smile Box:
http://www.smilebox.com/designTypes/scrapbooks.jsp?partner=google&campaign=search_scrapbook This is the coolest thing I have found in... MONTHS! Free scrapbooking software, so you can print cute stuff out on your own printer! Phew! It's like a scrapbooking photoshop. Free for 14 days, and then... $24?? Something like that. LOVE it!!

Picaboo:

http://www.picaboo.com/?cm=gn&ad=ap&cp=NA&md=web&siteID=g9qnrsyyLdQ-udvaHC1_BSAj5qrM4I1mJg This is super cool too! It is a free downloadable program that helps you create a professionally published Lifebook. You write the words, pic the pictures, and the company publishes it for you! Looks super nice. Pricing is $75 for a hardcover (linen) 20 page book. A suede leather cover is an additional $10, and each extra page is $3.

Scrap and Tell:
http://www.scrapandtell.com/ Adoption scrapbook/lifebook supplies and information, wide selection of goodies, samples of actual page layouts, articles etc

Sticker Planet:
http://www.stickerplanet.com/1 800 –557-8678 call for a catalog. Aren’t stickers fun? You can find kid stickers for Multicultural and Caucasian children—they have them all!!

Scrapbook Addicts:
http://www.scrapbookaddict.com/ Excellent one stop website for materials, on-line scrapbooking lessons, chat rooms as well as links to other resources. Readers rate how well they like different albums, books etc.

Life Preserves:
http://www.lifepreserves.com/ Here you’ll find lifebooks as well as memory albums and scrapbooks designed for all sorts of blended families, from adoptive and foster to step-families.

Adopt Shop:
www.adoptshoppe.com/lifebooks.htm Books about lifebooking and albums to help you get started. Don’t miss the Hold on Tight to Your Dream series of memory books customized for children adopted domestically and in various countries abroad.

Caroline’s Collection:
http://www.carolinescollection.com/ Lifebook and scrapbook embellishments with adoption and multicultural themes, handcrafted by a mom who got hooked after creating a lifebook for her son, adopted in Guatemala.

Time Capsule Website:
http://dmarie.com/timecap/step1.asp Discover what happened the day you were born. Headlines, toys, movies, or even famous people born on same date. Free

Day of Birth:
http://www.dayofbirth.co.uk/ Learn what day of the week you were born on. Discover how many days until your next birthday, how many seconds old you are. Plus other links. Free

Behind the Name:
http://www.behindthename.com/ Want to know what a name means? From anywhere in the world? This unique site has articles, tools and links helpful for any family.no charge

Birthday Weather:
http://www.wunderground.com/ Find the weather for any state or country. If you want weather for a historical date i.e. your child’s birthday, Go to that country/city you want, enter that date Free

History Channel: This day in history:
.http://www.historychannel.com/tdih/ Categories include general interest, entertainment, old west, technology. Not all kid friendly but lots of potential. Free

All about Flags:
http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/index.html Excellent site. Information and flags from all over the world.

Interested in finding a map? Google it.
Go to http://www.goggle.com/ and type in“ maps—name of country or state/province” There are many sites which have downloadable maps, geography facts, etc.. Very helpful tool for showing where children are born and where they live now.

Breaking News...

Kush was home from work “early” today (before 6pm, at least!) so we ate some food with Meer, and then as we were getting ready to take Meer out for one last spin in his car, Kush got a phone call and went into the living room to take it. Meer and I carried on our way out the door. Kush caught up with us within a minute, and had two cereal bars in his hands. He hands me a bar, and tells me to open it – he had good news!

So we both open our bars, and began walking and pushing Meer in his car…

Kush was like, “We’ve been approved.” And I was like – “What? By WHO?” (yes – completely oblivious!), and then he was like, “To adopt a child!”!!!

WhooOooOoOOooOOooOOoo HOOOOOOOOO!

I think it was a phone call from New Life Home orphanage – I saw a missed call from tehm on my phone. But then like – the ORPHANAGE calls to tell us we are approved? Not our social worker??? I am a bit confused about that part. And that we were to go on MONDAY to select a child??? Something like that.

Which has spun us into another dilemma, because Kush has upcoming work abroad, so have to wait a bit before we can actually select a child… once we have found our daughter – we can’t leave her behind!! Ya know? And our daughter cannot leave Kenya until her passport and adoption is finalized… a slight pain in the ass, but nothing unexpected.

So the jist of it, we are waiting until about December or January to go and find our daughter… but somehow now that we are APPROVED, it is more painful to wait. I dunno. It’s hard to explain. But then again – I was giving Meer his bath tonight, and was thinking – I can do this for TWO kids at once??? I can still be a great mom to Meer AND another infant?? Suddenly I can see why parents tend to wait for 2 or 3 years between children!! Maybe it is just a slap of reality hitting me…

Anyway – off to bed! Just had to share the good news as soon as possible!

Many blessings…

The Grass is Always Greener

Well – THAT might be an over statement, but here is the latest and the greatest… sorta!!

Meer is doing ok… it is Friday, and I have managed to hoard ½ a dose of Infant Tylenol – DHL is expected to arrive tomorrow.

Attempted to sack (FIRE – for all you who don’t speak British English!!) our gardener last night… He started working for us as a night askari (Swahili for guard), and then when we moved to this house and required someone to open the gate in the day, we moved him to days, and he began gardening and tending to the dogs. He is generally a nice guy – happy – but as the past few months have gone on, he has gotten slower and slower – to the point of our yard looking like we don’t have a gardener at ALL! Our grass was long and going to SEED, I was picking up dog shit myself, etc.

Anyway – a couple weeks ago he asked for a RAISE. Seriously. And since he didn’t get one (he was already being paid his askari salary – which is 12 hours a day, 7 days a week – and only working 8 hour days, 6 days a week. Raise enough, if you ask me. But no – he wanted more. Fine – I admire the spirit to ask for what you want… but picking up dog shit so Meer doesn’t fall on it, and Meer tripping on sticks, rocks, bones, and debris on the “lawn” – unacceptable. But whatever – I kept my mouth shut waiting for Kush to come home from work early enough to deal with it.

Until yesterday…

I hear this honking at the gate, and then I see JOSAPHINE (our over-achieving housegirl) running to the gate! I’m like – HUH? It was 4:30pm, meaning our gardener was on duty until 5pm – but no where to be seen.

So Kush’s mom and sister arrive to play with Meer and deliver dinner (GOTTA LOVE IT!). I walk around to the staff quarters, and sure enough – our gardener is all clean and showered – putting on his shoes ready to go home! So basically he spends the last hour of his day getting ready to leave! Anyway – I calmly said in Swahili for him to report to my husband’s office tomorrow, and not to work here. He said “fine.”, and that was that.

Well. When my sister in law was leaving, the gardener complained to her that “because of you I am sacked.” HUH? NO! Because you cannot fulfill your duties at ANYTIME in the day – you are sacked. Can’t pick up dog shit. Can’t cut the grass. And now can’t open the gate. Simple, if you ask me.

In his defense – our hedge that borders our neighbours is always immaculate. He DOES like to trim the hedge where he can speak with the staff next door. And he likes to sweep the driveway WAY up by the gate (we have a super long driveway) for the same reasons. But anywhere BORING – like near the house, or where Meer plays – he doesn’t like working there.

Two weeks ago I made him a daily list of things I wanted done – so he didn’t feel like he has to sweep the Looooooong driveway everyday – do it 3 times a week. Or trim the perfect hedge for 6 hours everyday – not necessary. 3 days a week trim the hedge. 3 days a week cut the grass. I mean – that is TWENTY FOUR HOURS A WEEK to maintain the LAWN. I figure a guy could do that with his TEETH, let alone machinery. Seriously.

Anyway – STILL – nothing is being done around the house. I can hear him yacking away ALL morning – every morning. Then at 2pm he picks up some equipment and wanders out in front of some window to “work” – expecting me to be taking Meer out to play in the afternoons.

Point is – I AM white, but I am NOT stupid. I actually HAVE worked in my life. MacDonald’s was my first job. Safe to say I am fully aware of working your way up the pay scale! Jease. Lazy bugger.

So – as luck would have it, Kush pulled into the driveway like 4 minutes later. Once AGAIN I got “the eye” for sacking someone with Kush or James (our driver/manager/assistant guy) being home. They are concerned that the employee with pull a hairy-kairy and go nuts when I am home alone. I really have a hard time biting my tongue when my freaking HOUSEGIRL is running to the gate during work hours! Like seriously – the woman is fantastic. She has the house pulled together almost singlehandedly by 11am. Then she does anything she can think of to occupy the rest of the hours. ASKARI duty – NOT REQUIRED. Anyway – I flipped. CALMLY, but like seriously. How could I just let THAT one slide?? Freaking SHOWERING during work hours? Please.

Anyway – that was yesterday. And he is outside washing my car this morning, so I guess he wants to work. I have no idea! He certainly won’t be showering, that’s for sure!! Ha ha ha!!

Ugh. I know it sounds all nice to have staff, but somedays it feels like it would be a lot easier to have the appliances to do the work yourself; dishwasher, lawnmower, vacuum cleaner…

OH! And did I meantion that he basically called me a LIAR too? He told Kush I had NEVER picked up dog shit and that I had NEVER told him to do it, or showed him the dog shit. I actually had to go drag my houseman out to confirm that on TWO SEPERATE OCCASIONS I HAD indeed PICKED UP DOG SHIT. Nice one. Kush is concerned that if we fire him "badly", he can bring thugs from the slums to our house to rob us, or what-have-you. Valid point, and everything, but HOW annoying! Anyway - let's see... maybe it will be his own idea to quit sooner than later anyway!

Sigh...

Rationing of the Tylenol...

So we're here - having a GREAT DAY! No Tylenol usage yet! Yesterday was a 4x day - which put a serious dent on our rationed Infant Tylenol and Panadol supplies! Even had to slip in some local Panadol - imagine the injustice! Poor Meer swallowed it, though. Anyway - nothing so far today! Hoping the DHL supply from my mom arrives by Saturday. We have about 2 doses of the good stuff left, so I am hoarding it for a true teething emergency!

Well - there you have it - another day in the life. I will be back tomorrow with a FULL blabbering of everything juicy and fun! Until then, MUCH love...

;-D

Mrs. MIA...

Ya - ya - I Know. DAYS since my last post!! To be honest - Meer is cutting in SIX teeth - pretty much all at once, so the poor little guy... welll - he needs me more than average! As luck would have it, we are practically OUT of Infant Tylenol - luckily my mom is sending some DHL! Should be here by Saturday - fingers crossed. Well - here we go again - I can hear him calling me! ;-D

Sunny Sunday

So we made it to church – for a new record of FOUR Sundays in a ROW!!! Not joking. Meer really likes seeing the other kids in the nursery, and apparently Kush enjoys listening to the sermon! How handy is that?? Shocking, I know.

We go to a church called, “International Christian Fellowship”, which is non-denominational and meets in the theatre of a local private school near the UN. It’s a small gathering – about 100 people, or so. It is a good mix of people – and even about 5 or 6 families that have gone through, or are going through, the adoption process here in Kenya.

Anyway – it is a great way to start the week. Good people. Good feelings. Good times!

I am trying to find a link to the church, but have come up blank! Anyway – if you clic on the title of this post, you will go to the website for Rosslyn Academy...

Sticks and Stones

So here I am – home alone happily putting down Meer for his nap, when Kasimbi comes in to tell me the landlord is here and wants to talk with me. Now – some background info for those of you who have NOT been to our house – it is a sh*t box. Well – maybe THAT is a bit of an overstatement, but it IS safe to say that it is it is a brand new house that was built like sh*t, and is owned by a wanna-be slumlord. Basically.

So since FEB-RU-ARY we have been living with a big hole in the kitchen wall – where the tiles have actually popped off the wall due to the house settling into a… lagoon??? Pretty much. Then there are the endless issues with hot water – the heaters are usually broken. The jist of it is that the whole house is run on 9 breakers. When my dad comes over, he pops open the breaker box just to have a LAUGH! Seriously. I am not joking.

There is also the 4 foot fence at the front of the property beside the gate – a true joke in land of security and “compound” living.

We have mold growing under the stairs, and under the kitchen sink. (special, huh??) I mean – the house is falling apart.

Literally.

Has anyone seen Lemony Snicket Series of Unfortunate Events?? Remember the scene where the storm breaks apart the house and the children are left standing in the doorway with the rest of the house crumbling behind them? Well – that is our house! And to top it off – the last time I asked the landlord to fix it, we ended up in an ARGUMENT!! Seriously. So imagine my JOY to know I was home alone (without my warrior husband – he is off watching an international cricket match) and the guy was waiting to see me in the driveway. (gag)

So I go out, and after him laughing at me and saying the “home repairs” were up to the tenant to do, and me saying “fine, we’ll move”, we came to an understanding: The house needs to be repaired – he has to pay for it – and that’s that. He likes to pretend he is all worldly, and lives in the States (lie) – so he is too far above us to care about home repairs. Uh… ya. Whatever. Like I give two hoots to pee with the guy. Ya know?? Please. FIX YOUR HOUSE. Joker.

So I made a list of all the things that were broken, and he agreed to get them fixed – even went so far as to act shocked that they weren’t fixed the LAST time I bitched. (sure.) Anyway – we have agreed to get the repairs done ourselves, and deduct the cost from the upcoming rent. Oh – I should also explain that rent is due every three months here in Kenya, and it is due on the 22nd! Hence him actually showing up and pretending to CARE. Ugh. Faker. Anyway – Kush always said it was wrong to do repairs and deduct it from the rent – that is was tacky. But I say – Hell Yeah!!!

Anyway – he is gone. And I can get the house fixed… finally! He wants me to email him the quotes – so lets see how cheap his ass gets when he isn’t looking me in the eye. Hmn.

Well – I am feeling a bit better now – nothing like a good vent to lighten the load! THANKS! Ha ha ha!!!

Whine and Cheese

Not to harp on and on about the down side of things, but getting PHOTOS uploaded to this blog – is a HUGE pain in my arse! I am talking – like… I try to send one about 30 times throughout the day, and it almost always (except twice so far!) times out and says “Internet Explorer cannot display the Webpage”. UGH!!! See? – It just did it again. Anyway… I will keep on trying, and when you see a super cute little boy on top of my “Adoption – the 1st step” post, you will know I have been successful!! Ha ha ha!! Sigh… one more time – just for the FUN of it…

;-D

This is for the Birds

Ah – it’s nap time around here again! Phew. Today our project is making Suet and Peanut Butter Bird Food Feeders! Seems birds are Meer’s favorite thing to go and look for around the house (yes – on his circuit!), so we are trying to increase the population. The handy thing is that there are SO MANY birds around, that we can almost ALWAYS see a bird sitting on a power line, or fence post.

Anyway – we went to the butcher this morning and got half kilo of beef suet, and then bird seed from the pet store… The jist of the recipe is to melt the suet, stir in a small jar of crunchy peanut butter, and then add a cup of bird seed, whole wheat flour, cornmeal, sunflower seeds, and oatmeal. It turns into a kinda gloopy mess, but doesn’t smell as bad as it sounds!

So you fill molds – we used a paper milk carton with a stick poking through both sides for a perch - and chill them until they are set. And then cut out little windows on both sides above the stick for the birds to access the suet inside. The leftovers I heaped onto a pie plate, and suspended on the hedge close to where the birds already hang out in the mornings. So far no takers, though… OH! Have two little chirpers sitting on the power lines above the pie plate… should be soon…

;-D

Adoption - Some Inspiration

Well – deciding to do it is the hardest part. There is a lot of inspiration available – all you have to do is visit an orphanage once, and you will be touched so deeply you will suddenly find adoption in your heart.

Before we went, I had it in my head I would have to adopt an infant - the younger the better. But after visiting with the children, I knew it was in me to adopt a toddler! Who would have thunk it. After speaking with our pediatrician though, we have decided to maintain the birth order for Meer, and will be adopting a child younger than he is. Aparently it is easier for them to bond if the oldest stays the oldest, etc. Makes sense, really.

Anyway - the above picture was taken by my Mom, at an orphanage called New Life Home Trust. (You can check out their web page by clicking on the title of this post.) The home cares for up to 50 babies, all of which were HIV+ and abandoned at birth. When we were there they had 47 babies. The babies are taken in between 0 – 3 months old, and then moved on to other homes when they reach the age of 3. Some are adopted, but as one of the workers told us, only about 10 per year. This is a bit confusing when you compare it to the stats on the website (which says most children are adopted or fostered), so I think that means lots of children become fostered, but not actually adopted. I should also add that 70% of them are HIV negative by the age of about 4 months old.

The orphanage is run in a quite large house – three separate wings/stories for the different ages; 0-1, 1-2, and 2-3. The home is VERY clean, and they have a lot of volunteers from all over the world that come to play with the children, and help with feedings, etc. There is a doctor’s office within the home, where pediatricians come on a volunteer basis to provide healthcare for the children. There is also an isolation nursery where the very young stay when they first arrive. There were 9 newborns there when we visited. They are in isolation to protect them from germs while they fight off the HIV virus.

All in all it is a really good place. I highly recommend you to snoop around their website – they have some stories of the individual babies that are really touching.

Anyway – I hope you are inpired! ;-D

Adoption - the 1st Step

When you find adoption in your heart, the first thing to do is contact Little Angel’s Network. There is also a Christian based agency, and a government agency – we chose Little Angel’s, since I had heard them mentioned on the Internet quite a bit. There website is private (?), so I don’t recommend trying to contact them via email either – I never did hear back from them. So pick up the phone, and give them a call. The number to dial is: 254-20-386-6442 and technically, their website is: www.littleangels.or.ke IF you can get it to work for YOU! Who ever anwers the phone will be very helpful - a shocking and rare event here in Kenya!

So what you have to do then, is actually go in person to pick up the application forms. Basically you have to pre-apply, to apply! NOT joking. And they are these faded yellow tissue-paper forms from the 1950’s, I SWEAR! So like why they are kept in lock-down – Lord only knows!

Anyway – when you get there, you will be taken into a little room with a little table and a couple plastic lawn chairs. A very pleasant social worker will come in and ask you a few questions, and then basically READS the fine print to you, and explains what else you have to do, and what documentation you have to include in your application. All in all, it takes about 10 minutes, and was quite interesting and even... dare I say...enjoyable!

Following is a copy of information on the form...

Adoption - the Application Form

A - PRE-REQUISITES FOR ADOPTION

*Must be between the ages of 25 and 65

*Must be 21 years older than the child they wish to adopt

*Is a mother or father of child (??)

*In case of joint application the couple must have been married to one another for at least 3 years

*Single applicants (male or female) cannot adopt children of the opposite sex unless under special circumstances

*A sole foreign female applicant can only adopt under special circumstances


B - FORMAL APPLICATION

If you meet the requirements given by the law, e.g. age limit, you will be issued with the application forms. Your application is only considered formal when you hand in your duly completed application forms.

The following should be attached:

*2 full sized recent photos of the applicants (if you have children – 2 pictures of you and your spouse, and 2 pictures of you, your spouse, and your children)

*Copy of ID (Kenyan Citizen)

*Copy of Passport and Work Permit (Non-Kenyan Resident)

*Marriage certificate – in case of joint application, they must have been married for at least 3 years

*Medical Reports

*Proof of financial status – pay slip, bank statement, etc



C - JOINT INTERVIEW

The applicants will go through a joint interview at Little Angels Offices


D - INDIVIDUAL INTERVIEWS

Incase of joint applicants, each of them will go through an individual interview with the LANS social worker. This also includes any children in the home over the age of 14 years.


E - HOME VISIT

Upon return of the forms and completion of the interview sessions an appointment is fixed for the home visit. The aim of the visit is to:

· Determine applicants physical location (where the child will be living)

· Assess the suitability of the applicants to adopt/foster a child – living conditions are also assessed

· Conduct an in depth interview with the applicants in the privacy of their home.

Note: In case of a joint application, both applicants MUST be present during the home visit.



F - COUNSELING

Visit recommended counsellors for manditory counselling session.



G - MEDICAL CHECK-UP

This must be done by a doctor recommended by the Society and the report forwarded to Little Angels confidentially.

Note: The adoption regulation requires that an HIV test is carried out as part of the examination.



H - CASE COMMITTEE DECISION

The LANS Case Committee will then go through your applicationand Home Study Report. The committee will either: Approve, Defer, or REJECT your application. In the event that your application is Deferred or Rejected - reasons for the same will be given in writing.



I - IDENTIFICATION OF THE CHILD

Once approved as a fit parent, the applicants will be assisted in identifying a suitable child(ren).



J - GENDER

Please indicate preference of age and sex of child to simplify the identification process.



K - BONDING PERIOD

After identifying a child, the applicants will be required to make at least 6 visits to the relevant home over a 1 to 2 week period.

Reasons for the visits:

· To bond with the baby before taking him/her home.

· Medical check-ups: during the 2 weeks, it is optional for the applicants to seek a second opinion on the child from an independent doctor. This should be arranged with the Matron/Nursing Manager of the relevant home.

· Preparation to receive the baby at home e.g. buying clothes, bedding, etc.



L - FOSTER PERIOD

After 2 weeks bonding process, the child is discharged to the prospective parents who then begin the fostering process. This period shall last 3 months.



M - FOLLOW-UP ASSESSMENTS

During the 3 month foster period, the social worker will conduct follow-ups to assess the progress of the child in the new family.The follow-up schedule is as follows:

· 1st Follow-Up – one month after discharge of the baby. Done from the LANS office.

· 2nd Follow-Up – Two months after the discharge of the baby. Also conducted at the LANS office.

· 3rd Follow-Up – Three months after discharge of the baby. It MUST be conducted at the applicants home – to observe the adjustment of the child in the home environment. Then a Final Report is complied.


Note: The relevant home will also conduct their independent follow-ups on agreed intervals e.g. two weekly, monthly, etc. Please consult the home on this.



N - LEGAL PROCESS

The legal process should commence immediately after the 3 month foster period. For this process you will need:

i. A Lawyer – to represent you in court. The lawyer’s fees vary depending on the lawyer you choose.

ii. Guardian ad Litem – to protect the best interest of the child during the adoption proceedings. Preferably a social worker, though a friend can also act as thus. The guardian ad litem must do a report and file it in court.

iii. Declaration from a Registered Adoption Society – for this purpose, the society’s social worker will make a visit to your home.

iv. Report from the Children’s Department (Ministry of Home Affairs) – a Children’s Officer will conduct a Home Study and file a report in court.

Note: The legal process varies in time depending on the court schedule, the advocate you engage, and sometimes how fast the above mentioned reports are done and filed in court. On average it takes from 4 to 6 months.

You should not make any arrangements to travel outside of the country with the child until the adoption/guardianship order has been granted by the court. LANS does not support such travel, and it is against the law.

Custody; It must be clearly understood that the child is in the legal custody of the relevant home until the Guardian ad Litem is appointed. The applicant therefore has no legal claim over the child until the High Court of Kenya has granted the Adoption/Guardian order.

If you do not comply with the above procedures, the child may be withdrawn from you and returned to the relevant home.

Picture from New Life Home

This is a picture taken at New Life Home Trust. I am trying to load other ones, but the internet connection is not fast enough to be friendly just now - I will keep trying! Until then, these are some kids playing out on the grass with some volunteers...

Link to Tracey's Blog

Hey, Y'all!!

If you clic on the title of this post, you will scoot off to my friend Tracey's blog. She lives in Vancouver, and is in the process of adopting a daughter from Kenya. She is TOATLLY prepared, and ready to come over here - HOW exciting! Looks like we will both be selecting our daughters in December... ish! Gotta work in the formula for "African Time"!! Anyway, we are both super excited! Feel free to check out her blog - it is really great.

Well... now I am off to dream land... more in the morning... zzzzzzzzz....

Dawn of the Triple C Circuit...

Wow. So Meer’s new thing is driving in his Cozy Coupe Convertible – up the driveway – down the driveway-over the ramp - onto the lawn-over to the dogs - back to the staff quarters - around the laundry lines – back around to the swing- over the curb-past the cars – back up the driveway – over the ramp… onto the lawn…. Over to the dogs… and I am talking ALL DAY LONG! Luckily the car had a metal handle, so Meer just sits inside and gets pushed the whole way – he LOVES it!! Terribly serious. Anyway… it’s EXHAUSTING!

He’s sleeping now. No big plans for the afternoon… Bela is bringing dinner over, so I don’t have to cook! How lucky is that??? I know. I know.

So I called Little Angel’s Network this morning to find out when the LANS Committee is meeting – not before next Wednesday, basically. Possibly the Wednesday after that. So it will still be awhile before we get word. No biggie – since we have 4 months from the date of the letter to select our daughter, and we want to do that IDEALLY in January.

Apparently the elections have been moved to December 28th, so people can vote when they are back at their villages. I dunno! That is the logic, though. So if we aren’t here for the elections, we aren’t here for Christmas either… and that sucks! Christmas is such a fun time for children… oh well – time will tell! No point worrying about it yet.

Well – that is all that is new… not much of anything other than a firm counter-clockwise circuit around the house!! Ha ha ha!!

Hope all of you are well…
;-D

Counseling 101

Good morning everyone!!

So our counselor’s meeting yesterday was quite interesting… for a start, each time I called to get directions to the place, I got a different answer. So I had James (our driver/personal assistant/friend) call. So we go to the place he was told… it’s on the “first floor”, meaning the second floor (buildings start with a “ground floor” here). Had to climb up this little tiny staircase – narrower than what you have in your own house, let me tell you! And there was no parking outside, so Meer couldn’t stay and “drive” with Uncle Jimmy (his favorite pastime!). So there we were – I’m huffing up the stairs first – having to side step people coming down all the time, with a toddler in my arms and on uneven slippery tile stairs…. Uneven slippery DIRTY tile stairs! Ha ha ha!! Kush is behind us - yelling (- oh. I mean "talking"!) on his mobile ohone the whole way! Anyway – we get up there, and find that is the MAIN OFFICE. The counseling offices are ACROSS THE ROAD on the THIRD FLOOR of a different building. Sigh.

And yes – by this time we are already 10 minutes late!

So we cross the road – still no parking, so Kush grabs Meer and off we go – marching up another four flights of stairs. Luckily these stairs were a normal width, and had those open bricks on the one main wall – so there was fresh air, and it was almost pleasant!

So we get to the top, and an askari (guard) opens this grill gate thing for us. Kush asks him if the security is ok, and the guy smiles and says (in Swahilli), “Yes it is not bad.” To which we all laugh – because why would they have a security gate at the top of a staircase if the security was GOOD??? (***Tracey – this is the part of town where the orphanages are… kinda yucky as in no green trees, and lots of litter and dirty concrete)

Anyway – we go inside and are waiting to meet “Violet” – she is the head of the counseling department, apparently. We are a good 15 minutes late by now, and Kush has a meeting scheduled in 45 minutes. I had lied and told him it would take an hour – our social worker said it was less than 30 minutes, so I figured I was safe with doubling it.
Turns out we had to wait about 10 minutes for Violet to show up, and by this time Kush had a slight lather to him- looking at his watch constantly and a bit of tension showing up in the face… ya know what I mean?? Well – for those who know him – it worth a quick chuckle!!

So we go into this room with this middle aged African Lady… we sit down. Kush takes Meer and feeds him some puffed wheat. Violet hands me this three page form to fill out – which I do immediately. As I am doing it she explains to us that the meeting will take between one and one and a half HOURS, and that we can talk about anything, blah, blah, blah. I am not looking, but I can FEEL Kush clench up!! So I mention (as I am fillign out a form at the speed of light!!) that Kush has a meeting, and we were told the session would only last 30 minutes – so if we could do the short version – I would appreciate it. Violet agreed, and commented that she had seen Kush look at his watch about 20 times since entering the room! So I was relieved, but then we sat in silence while I worked at the form! I was like… uh….

Eventually I broke the ice myself, and said, “Hey Hun – do you have any questions about adoption? – I do. What are we supposed to tell the child about her birthmother if her birthmother had thrown her away in a pit latrine? Are we supposed to tell the truth? Or lie? Like when the child asks and is a late teenager or early adult? Do we tell the truth?” So THAT got things going! By this point in time I was following Meer around the room as he investigated everything, and Violet asked me what I would want to know if I was the one that adopted and asking. I had to admit I would rather hear the truth – as an ADULT, that is. Anyway…

We were outta there in about 35 minutes – including the time it took Violet to write us a receipt (so I could put it in Our Future Child’s scrapbook!!!!) All in all it was lovely! We have to go back with our daughter and Meer – so she can see how we are bonding, etc. Got to admit – she was a truly lovely person! Even Kush really liked her! So top snaps to that.

Well – Meer is outside driving around in his Tiny Tikes car with Uncle Jimmy… I had best get out there before Kush has to go to work! Meer freaks when they leave, so I like to have something exciting in the works for the departure – as a distraction.
MUCH loving…

We're BACK!!!

I know. I know. It's "AUGUST"!!! I can hear you all yelling at me already! Point is - I am BACK!

Luckily I was surfing around and met this chic from Vancouver (same as me!), and she sent me the link to her blog, and then I got to thinkin: "Oh YAH!! I used to have one of those!!" So here I am! All thanks to my gal-pal Tracey.

Anyway - a BIG shout out to everyone! Gretchen - How the heck are ya?? How is XS?? I am thinking of hooking up Tracey at Bid Apartments - how cool is that?? (Gretchen stayed there when she was here for the summer doing a law class thingy a few years back)

So - the BIG news is that Kush and I are in the process of adopting a daughter! We haven't met her yet, though. Just in the planning stages. We have a counselling appointment this afternoon, and then our case goes to the board for approval. Kush has some business to do out of the country,so as soon as we get back (Christmas time?), we will be in a position to select a child (or be selected by the child!!), and will have her living with us within the first week! COOL, huh?? We are super excited.

Anyway - that's the news!!

Also have internet back at the house now, so will do my BEST to post a few times a week - while our super-great son is napping!

MUCH love to all of you... xoxoxoxoxox!!!