I am thankful for Andy Warhol

I was going to go into this all out whine about how I hate the uncertainty of this process. I did a search for an accompanying image and came across the above. Somehow it made me smile and to not want to whine any more. I didn't realize that Andy Warhol could do that.

Thank you, Andy Warhol.

Moonlighting

Scott got some great shots of last night's lunar eclipse (http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/LEmono/TLE2008Feb21/TLE2008Feb21.html) like the photo above. Historically, lunar eclipses have typically been thought to be bad omens . . . let's hope this one is a good one! It was pretty amazing looking. Luca was all bundled up in his PJs, heavy socks, crocs & Lightning McQueen hat not paying as much attention to the eclipse as he was to Orion's belt and Saturn (just below the moon).

Dr. Seuss on Waiting

. . . from Oh, the Places You'll Go.

Contact

Quick Update
Scott has made contact with the doctor! Good news! He said he would fax the license and send a hard copy to us. He, however, has not faxed the license to our agency yet. I am somewhat relieved that Scott actually spoke with him. This doctor is awesome, but he is a bit of a maverick and somewhat scattered, particularly when it comes to administrative stuff.

Our dossier is at the consulate in New York. I thought that was the only place it went in the U.S., but I read something about a back-up/remodeling in the embassy in Washington D.C. Does the dossier go to New York AND Washington D.C.? I guess none of this matters right now. We just need to get that license there and hope that is it.

Words of Wisdom
Another blogger/AP who is waiting for a referral had a great suggestion - try to be a "be a leaf in the stream" and see where that takes you (thanks, Angela). I find myself feeling like a ROCK in the rapids instead. Leaf in the stream . . . my new mantra.

Edited on 2/15/2008 to add: The license has been faxed and received thanks to the diligence of my dear husband! Small hurdle cleared - YEA! Hopefully, we are back in soon .

Your Time Is Up!

Kicked Out
We received an email from our coordinator today telling us that our dossier has been kicked out of the Consulate because one of the medical licenses is expired (1/31/2008). We won't get back in until it is replaced.

The Endless Cycle
If I was able to tell you this in person, you would detect a hint of fear underneath the smile plastered on my face - maybe you would see it in my eyes or hear a slight hitch in my voice.

"Kicked out"!

Who wants to be kicked out of the first place the dossier goes? Who wants to be kicked out of anywhere? Then, I start thinking about the documents expiring. Should I get some of them redone so that I can be ready to go when the rest start expiring? Isn't the whole dossier going to expire before we travel?

I have been pretty calm since we submitted our paperwork . . . now I am just the tiniest bit panicked.

Edited on 2/12/2008 to add: We don't exactly know where the doctor is, however. He is no longer with the practice he was with in the fall. All we have is a cell phone number. I guess the worst that can happen here is that Scott does the medicals all over again.

Mindless Monday

The view from where I sit . . . I wonder if we will have a snow day tomorrow.

My Sister

"Saskia" has been getting a lot of play at our house lately. I feel a bit remiss because I have not really updated Luca on our potential time of departure. He has not mentioned her for a few months, but he is obviously paying attention to what is going on (and remembering timelines, for pete's sake). I am not sure when the fact that he is ever observant is going to sink into to my head.

March?

We changed the calendar in his room recently and he noticed that next month is March. "Are we picking Saskia up in March?" he asks. When we planned to submit our dossier at the end of October, our coordinator said we may travel in March. "No, maybe August," I explained. "But, August is a long way away," he whined. It is hard to think of how to explain the intricacies of international adoption to a 4 year-old - mostly, because it is out of our control. Parents must look like they control the universe. We make everything happen.

Life with our Yellow Girl

In addition to his observation that Saskia hates mushrooms, he has designated the yellow girl game piece in Chutes and Ladders as Saskia's. (Actually, Chutes and Ladders is a good metaphor for adoption and the game we played the other night almost took as long. We had to stop going down the chutes to finish in time for Luca to take a bath.)

He also wants to know where she will sleep - "your room" I suggested. "There isn't room in my bed," he replied.

After seeing snippets of last night's Super Nanny, he assures me that he will be nice to his sister. Luca also explained that he will call her Hannah, not Saskia, when she comes home because Sid's sister (from Toy Story) is named Hannah.

Where will she bathe? "In the tub," Scott replied. "But, she will have her clothes on," he observed. Luckily, she may potentially take her clothes off and bathe with him. That is okay.

He will bring his second small chair in the living room from the play room so that she may watch planet videos with him.

And, finally, yesterday my dear son asked, "After Saskia comes home, can I have brother?"

Edited on 2/10/2008 to add: At lunch today Luca asked how far away Venice is. "About 6000 miles," I replied. "That is where we will get my brother," he said. Venice?! That would be lovely. I have learned to never say never!

866 UN Plaza, Suite 586 A, New York, NY 10017-1822

Also know as the Kazakhstan Consulate
Our coordinator emailed us to tell us that our dossier was FedExed to the consulate on January 28. I will make the assumption that it is there by now and is, hopefully, sitting on a nice person's desk with the other paper babies.

I believe I read that the embassy is backed up because of the infamous holidays, but I don't think that matters all that much to us. More than likely, the dossier will go to Kazakhstan and sit for a while.

Mania
One observation I can make about the international adoption process so far is that it is manic. I am trying to find another metaphor - I have read "roller coaster ride" often, but that doesn't really do it for me. One is on a roller coaster for a matter of minutes. This process goes on for months and it changes and seems to change, but doesn't and changes again. Please know that I am not complaining. I know this adopting a child from halfway around the word is tricky business - there are things like borders, countries, culture and governments.

It all seems so far away. When our coordinator gave us an estimate of traveling in August (at the earliest), we talked about changing our gender request. I think we are going to sit tight for now - stick with the request for a girl.

Should he stay or should he go?
One thing I am struggling with is whether we will take our 4 year-old (probably closer to 5 by the time we leave) Luca with us on the first trip or second trip or one trip. He is good-natured and generally laid-back (for a 4 year-old). He really wants to go. He wants to meet "Saskia." I made mushroom pizza last night and he told me that his sister does not like mushrooms - she hates them (he has been reading I Will Not Ever Never Eat a Tomato). I asked him who his sister is and he said "Saskia, of course." I have seen numerous posts on the adoption lists about the pros and cons and I am still not sure. Any thoughts?

P.S. I was just looking at the books listed on the right and was reminded of one I read a while ago. Have you read Love in the Driest Season? It is about a couple who adopted from Zimbabwe. Their story makes adoption from Kazakhstan look like a walk in the park - truly. I think it took them YEARS to gain custody of a baby girl that they nursed back to life.