Some Things Are Fast and Others Aren't

Today in the mail, we received a receipt from the Department of Homeland Security stating that they had received our new I600A application. This came as a little bit of a surprise.

December 20, our social worker sent an email saying that our agency told her that they had sent our criminal background check clearance to her on that day. I haven't heard anything from her since. I was assuming that she had gone out of town for the holidays, etc. and that the USCIS would be closed various days and had decided that they would probably get it sometime after the first of the year. So, today, whatever today is, we received this piece of mail. And, truthfully, it could have come yesterday because I don't think we ever went out and got the mail. Let's say it arrived today - the 30th (ok, I looked). They say they received the application on December 27 and the envelope is post marked December 28. Could this year's Christmas miracle be a speed up at the CIS? The receipt states that processing takes approximately 60 days. They may have said that last time when it took 90, but they requested additional documents. Either way, we should have our renewed I171H by March-ish. Which sadly, should not have any effect on our travel to China.

Which brings me to the seemingly slow things. Everyone is on pins and needles waiting for word on this month's batch of referrals. It's about that time of the month, and people are getting anxious. Clearly, we won't be hearing from our agencies before January, but there is the possibility that the referrals could have gone out yesterday. Hopefully we'll hear something next week AND they will cover at least a couple of weeks' worth of LIDs.

Home Again, Home Again

Well, we survived the cruise. Next...Christmas.

We had a great time on our trip. I managed to relax, so I'm not really overly stressed...right now.

Tomorrow's Christmas Eve, and I'm so excited. It will be a busy day greening the church and all, but I'm looking forward to it.

I can't wait for Christmas morning - to see P's reaction to whatever Santa may bring. It's going to be a fun time.

I've been totally out of the loop on the adoption front. Our agency is closed until Wednesday. The next batch of referrals should be due out shortly. I'll poke my head in on some of the rumors and report back and the goings-on.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas. I thought this last year, but I think I'm pretty safe saying that we'll have our new daughter next Christmas.

It's Cruise Time

Well, we're off. I won't be posting for about a week. I'm looking forward to lying on a beach, lying in a deck chair, lying on a massage table, lying.... OK, you get the idea. I ain't doin' nuthin'. OK, I'm going to do as little as possible. I suppose I will have to transport myself from our room to the aforementioned relaxation spots.

We haven't packed anything yet, but hey, no chance of overthinking it at this point, huh?

Oy, My Child

When I picked P up from school today, her teacher asked me to have a chat with P about focusing on her work and listening. Oy. Like she'll listen to ME.

So, I asked P what was up with not listening in class. She, of course, said she didn't know. I told her to ask her brain why it couldn't listen in class. So, she paused, asked her brain and paused again.

Then she said that her brain wasn't where it was supposed to be when she was in class. I asked her where her brain was. She said that it was supposed to be in the middle, but during class it was over on the right. (Isn't the right brain the "artsy" side?). I asked her why her brain was on the right and what it was doing there. She asked her brain, then said that it went over to the right because it wanted to watch TV, have something to drink and eat a sandwich.

Oy.

This evening, I asked P what she thought we could do to keep her brain in the middle during class. She suggested "brain medicine" that "tastes really icky". I suggested maybe we could remind her brain every morning that while she's in class, her brain has to stay in the middle. She thought this was a good idea.

Oy.

Christmas Is Almost Here

So, I haven't posted much in the last week because I thought I was going to lose my mind last week. Let's review:

Phoebe and Allen were both in a community theatre production of "The Littlest Angel". While neither of them was actually the Littlest Angel, we did all have to be at the theatre every night last week. Phoebe had to be there 6:30-8-ish each night, and Allen stayed later. As soon as I get a copy of the pics my mom took, I'll post them. Phoebe had a great time. She was a little star. Literally, her role was as one of the little stars. She basically ran out at appropriate times and raced around other characters or sat on the edge of the stage listening to songs. The rehearsals stressed me out for the week. It just seemed like we didn't have a lot of together time. While I have several things to do this week, at least my family is home for dinner every night.

I've started working with a trainer at the gym. Yesterday we worked on my legs for 30 minutes. Who knew they were so weak? I use them daily. I'm a bit sore, and walking funny today, but it's a good pain, right? Tomorrow I'll meet with her again. We'll work on my chest or back. As long as it's not legs, I don't care.

Phoebe's class Christmas party, sorry "luncheon", is Thursday. ("It's a luncheon mom, not a party"). Then Friday, I'm one of the drivers for her class to go to Casa Manana in Ft. Worth to see "Santa Claus is Coming to Town."

Saturday we leave for a cruise with Allen's family. It should be a lot of fun. I'm really looking forward to lying on a beach and doing nothing at all. That should be just the thing to really enjoy the holidays when we return. I have major plans for relaxation!

Hopefully, within a few days of Christmas, the next batch of referrals will come out and we'll see what progress China has made. We'll be a little bit closer.

Time Is Ticking

I really do feel like we're getting closer. I mean, obviously, we've been getting closer the entire time we've been waiting. It just didn't feel like it.

I do have a feeling in the back of my mind, a fear if you will, that once the CCAA starts matching October LIDs things are going to slow down to a few days at a time again. Who can say? Certainly not me.

But, I think it's safe to say that I ought to finish up the nursery and all those prep type things that I haven't even thought about. Probably ought to read the documents that our agency sent us so long ago about the referral phase of this process.

Last year at this time, the slow down was just beginning, and I don't think anyone expected to still be waiting now. But at the same time, I think we're starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel.