Sweet Moment in Time

I have a sub teacher today because I am chaperoning a group of 8th grade girls to a day at the University geared towards women in science careers. I met with my sub this morning and she asked what all my daughters’ names were. You see, I have pictures of all 3 girls, Tuki, Panda and Cheetah on my desk. I didn't tell her that two were not home yet, but I did mention that we are a family of adoption after she said “it looks like you traveled far for your family” . She said the girls were all beautiful and asked where they had been born. She asked the questions sensitively and thoughtfully. That was nice. It was also nice to talk about them like we were all under one roof; operating as a family.....I guess my fantasy waiting to happen. It was sweet for that one moment in time, and I can't wait until it is all the time.

Wait is NOT a pretty word

Tuki, 2 1/4 years old, Mama 42 1/2 + 2 years old.
We both feel the same way about WAIT..
One of us is completely age appropriate, the other isn't...........

W = Want it now
A = American's don't like to do it
I = Impatient
T = Today already!!

Good thing I find myself so funny, problem is no one else is laughing with me LOL!!!!!!

One year

On the way to church I realized that it was 1 year ago today that Tuks started walking... now she is running, jumping, skipping, tippy toeing, tumbling, rolling, hopping...you name she does it. So much learned in one year, unbelievable!!!

Short on Words

Just enjoying the weekend after a rough week, so I am short on words and would like to print this neat story;

One day, the father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country with the express purpose of showing him how poor people live.
They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family.

On their return from their trip, the father asked his son, "How was the trip?"
"It was great, Dad."
"Did you see how poor people live?" the father asked.
"Oh yeah," said the son.
"So, tell me, what did you learn from the trip?" asked the father.
The son answered:
"I saw that we have one dog and they had four.
We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden and they have a creek that has no end.
We have imported lanterns in our garden and they have the stars at night
Our patio reaches to the front yard and they have the whole horizon.
We have a small piece of land to live on and they have fields that go beyond our sight.
We have servants who serve us, but they serve others.
We buy our food, but they grow theirs.
We have walls around our property to protect us, they have friends to protect them."
The boy's father was speechless.
Then his son added, "Thanks Dad for showing me how poor we are."
Isn't perspective a wonderful thing? Makes you wonder what would happen if we all gave thanks for everything we have, instead of worrying about what we don't have.
Appreciate every single thing you have.

UNICEF....UGH!!!!

I linked this post and then pasted it below..It is from Vera's Haiti Update Blog .. What does it mean, not sure, but not liking it at all....

http://adoptivemomhaiti.blogspot.com/2008/02/call-for-action2007-haitian-adoptions.html

Following are the number of Haitian children who joined their adoptive families in 2007 compared to 2006. So far, by my calculations (and I am still waiting for formal statistics from the US Government and Canada - I have Quebec's statistics, but am missing the other Canadan stats. though I am presuming about 44 children for the other Canadian provinces) in 2006 - 1059 adopted children from Haiti joined their forever families, however in 2007, only 724 adopted children from Haiti joined their forever families.

That is a 32% decrease of Haitan children joining their families. This decrease is not because there are less families trying to adopt abandoned or orphaned Haitian children, this decrease reflects how many children's adoptions are stuck within the Haitian system (IBESR, Parquet and ultimately Ministry of Interior).

If the adoption process had been continuing in a smooth manner, and using the statistics of increased adoptions of about 20% per year, it is my estimation that about 1200-1300 children total would have come home to their forever families in 2007. This means that about 500 children's adoptions are stuck somewhere in the adoption process.

France:
2006 - 571 adopted children from Haiti
2007 - 403 adopted children from Haiti (168 fewer - 30% decrease)
Source: http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/IMG/pdf/chiffres_adoption_2007.pdf

USA:
2006 - 309 adopted children from Haiti
2007 - 195 adopted children from Haiti as of Dec. 15, 2007 (114 fewer - 37% decrease)

Canada:
2006 - 123
2007 - ??? ** Can you help get me the official statistics?
2007 - 44 *Quebec statistics (66 in 2006)http://www.adoption.gouv.qc.ca/site/fr_statistiques.phtml

The Netherlands:
2006 - 41
2007 - 28 (13 fewer - 32% decrease)
Source: www.wereldkinderen.nl/site.php?=47
www.stichtingflash.nl/wachtlijstenoverzicht.phtml
http://www.nederlandseadoptiestichting.nl/

Spain:
2006 - 15
2007- 10 (*Spain abandoned Haitian adoptions, however approximately 20 families who started the adoption prior to Spain's closing its doors to adoptions in Haiti are still waiting for their children.) (5 fewer - 33% decrease)

As we know, UNICEF is putting a lot of pressure on the Haitian government, telling them that too many children are being adopted internationally. (I was told the same thing by the UNCEF representative in Haiti during a face to face meeting in December 2007.)

Thus, the Haitian response has been to make the adoptions more difficult. For example, Gassant in Parquet is refusing to sign adoption decrees and the Ministry of Interior was not authorizing adopted children's passports.

UNICEF should be really proud of itself because less children are leaving the country.

BUT, did they solve the problem of the Haitian children? Many of the children have adopting families and they continue to live in orphanages, institutionalized.

Many other children continue to live on the streets, hungry and sick, many dying. There is no assistance that is being provided to make those children's lifes better.

This has to change and it is going to take an international effort of people who care for the children of Haiti to come together and expose what is really happening in response of the UNICEF pressure on the Haitian government.

I had a meeting with Mario Joseph, leading human rights lawyer in Haiti. He agreed to assist in this effort. I briefed him on what is happening in Parquet with Mr. Gassant's refusal to sign adoption decrees of families seeking to adopt Haitian orphans/abandoned children who have biological children. (Actually, he is not even signing adoption decrees for families with no biological children.)

In order to assist in highlighting the plight of the Haitian children who are stuck in limbo because of Mr. Gassant's actions, Mr. Joseph needs the cooperation of families and their orphanages/ orphanages' lawyers. He needs to highlight individual cases to Mr. Gassant in order to question the legality of his actions (or inactions).

He plans to hold a meeting with Mr. Gassant and if there is no result in response to the meeting, he plans to go on Haitian radio and TV to address the problem and to expose what is happening.

I know that some families and orphanages might be afraid to take this action, but without action, we are at a literal stand-still in Parquet.

MOI's issue in signing passport authorizations used to be a problem, but it is running much smoother now and that is in part because of the grassroots effort of adopting families.

Thursday Delight

Panda


Cheetah

Nice

I was brushing Heathcliff and Einstein tonight and Tuki decided she needed to help me. So she picks up a dog comb and then tells the dogs "nice" and proceeds to brush them. I tell her to be nice all the time to the animals so I'm not sure if she was telling herself to be nice or telling the dogs to be nice while she combed them. She is growing in leaps and bounds with her activities, language, sentences and understanding. I have myself a little shadow, a "minnie me" around and I love every minute of it. Did I ever tell you what an amazing kid she is, because wow, she sure astounds me everyday......

Is it Friday yet???

It is only Wednesday and it feels like Saturday. It has been one rough week. Losing Isaac Sunday morning set me off into a funk, and then Monday we had P/T Conferences, which went just fine, EXCEPT for the hours leading up to the conferences.

Like I had mentioned in an earlier post, we received 10” of snow on Sunday. I, being the optimist that I can be, thought that perhaps since I had my van’s front end realigned I could drive through the 10” with the front wheel drive. Not so, I was stuck immediately once the van cleared the garage. So I shoveled, shoveled, shoveled, and then stacked bricks in the back of the van, all to no avail. Then,
I called brother W, he came over with his big 4-wheel drive truck and then he/we shovel, shovel, shovel me out. I kept Tuks busy by telling her to stay in the house and take care of the dogs. She willing did this. Then W leaves, so I thought, but I later see him at my neighbor D’s house helping shovel, shovel, shovel her out. Soon he was backing his truck all the way back to my house to pick up my shovels because D is originally from California and didn’t have any real snow shovels. While backing up, W gets stuck in the snow on a stump, as his truck was pulled sideways off the track by the 10” of snow. It was at this time I ran outside again and asked what is going on. He explains, I then let him know that I will be back out after I get Tuks and myself changed and ready for outdoor weather again. So once ready, I put Tuki in a sled and we proceed to where W is stuck. We shovel, shovel, shovel, manage to get him out and then proceed to neighbor D’s house. We again shovel, shovel, shovel and get her out of her drive, but then, again she is stuck in the shared road that has yet to be plowed. I suggested that we get her car back into her drive and WE (me, D, and neighbor A) all wait until the plow comes through, which the plowman had told neighbor A would occur before 11:30 am. W leaves, Tuks and I return home, shower, plowman shows up, we get out and I take Tuks to daycare and I go to school. At 4:00pm I pick Tuks up, receive a report that Tuks had a naughty day. (I wonder why…), then drop her off at friend L’s house (MANY MANY THANKS to L for watching her) because I need to go to the other school for 3 more hours of P/T conferences. At 8:15pm I pick Tuks back up (she promised to be nice and she was) and finally get her into bed at 8:30pm, 2 ½ hours past her normal time.

Yesterday, I am tired…….but ok, yet I can tell a cold is coming on.

Today, again good, but missing Isaac terribly, I know just a dog, but I am crazy about my pets, and then hoping for some good news from a visiting parent to the O in Haiti. I did receive some wonderful pictures of the girls that the visiting parent worked hard to get, yet deep down I also really wanted to hear something too, for any of us waiting for news, because there are many right now. I was starting to think maybe, just maybe, Panda would be home by mid-summer, but not so much anymore, so now I am going to hope for a fall homecoming, then I won’t get my hopes up anymore…..

So my question.
Is it Friday/Spring/Summer vacation…anything at all, just some sort of change???????????????????????

Crazy Canine Creatures/Features...LOL

I have attached an email from an old acquaintance that was written to me regarding condolences about Isaac;

I'm so sorry to read about Isaac, you and him were so much alike when I first met you, he took on your personality, he loved people no matter how they treated him, he was wild and would just do his own thing on a moments notice, and he wanted
to always make sure you knew he was around. You two were free spirits.

It was sweet and it touched me deeply because I always thought the same way, that is why some days he could drive me crazy, we were too much alike…yes, even with a dog…


Then I took this test that another friend had sent;
http://web.tickle.com/dog/

and received this result;

INTERESTING STUFF.
Dobies are very similar to Shepherds in nature and temperament;


Aves, you're a German Shepherd! No bones, about it, you're a loyal, hard-working German Shepherd. Dedicated and always low-maintenance, people flock to you — they know they can count on you to get any job done, and done well. That focus and attention to detail spans from your personal to your professional life, too. Although you can be a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to the projects you tackle, you still manage to keep cool and laid-back in social situations. You get a kick out of the little things and thrive when you're constantly busy and on-the-go. Easygoing and unpretentious, you don't need constant pampering and reassurance. A genuine, carefree pup, you're a true-blue friend, employee, and partner. Woof!

Is this a bug?

Tuks has a fascination with bugs. It all started last fall when we were getting our annual Asian lady bugs that migrate through in their pursuit of warmer weather.

One day last fall, I had placed one of them on her hand and let it crawl around and she was totally enthralled with it.

So, yes even with this cold and snowy winter, and yet another 10" more of snow yesterday, we still have a rebel lady bug or two flitzing around in the house. I usually tell Tuks to place it in a plant, which she happily does.

BUT, if there is something black looking, usually fuzz, sometimes cookie piece, or even dirt, but not a lady bug, Tuki will study it for a long time and then state "Yucky bug", and I, of course will state, "no, it is not a yucky bug, because bugs are not yucky, only poopy is yucky" My brain washing to keep her away from the dog's poop outside.. It works.

My statement seems to appease her for a short time, but then she will ask "is this a bug" repeatedly because she can't walk away from the bug looking thing. Like I said she is mesmerized by them.

So this morning, I hear her say to sMurph, or remember to Tuks, he is Meow.

"Meow, is this a bug?", PAUSE, "Meow, is this a bug?", PAUSE, " Einie is this a bug?", PAUSE, "Meow, is this a bug?"

I finally look, and Meow and Tuks are facing each other, their noses, maybe, about 2 feet apart from each other, both lying on their bellies, on the floor, staring at a piece of black fuzz, and then, again I hear Tuks ask, "Meow, is this a bug?"

I didn't have a camera, but the moment was priceless.

Neither moved until I got up and picked it up and said, "No it is just fuzz", and then threw it away.

They both go their separate ways and, then I hear Tuks say "Bye Bye Bug"

BTW – today she has started to ask me quite a bit as to where Isaac was. I tell her he is sleeping for a long time.

Mistakes

Some mistakes you can make over and over again, and yet again. But some mistakes only allow for just that one mistake and then it is becomes the final one and there is no turning back. Erhlichiosis in the chronic form is that type of fatal mistake; there was no turning back.... I lost Isaac, my Dobie this weekend after a 4-month battle. He didn't even make it to 9 years.

NOOOO WAAAYYY!!!!

is Tuks newest expression acquired this week. She says it instead of No.. Now I must admit I don't know where she heard it, but it seems to be entrenched in her vocabulary. Just like the expression "I need....". I know where she got this one..Day Care!! I have heard daycare provider A, say numerous times to the kids "I need you to pick up the blocks", for example.

Tonight we were picking up some milk from the store, and I said something to Tuks, can't remember exactly what and she shouts out "NOOO WAAYYY". I of course glared at her and told her that shouting like that was naughty. I waited for a few minutes and then I said, "Now tell Mama that you are sorry". She waited a few seconds and then she said "I'm sorry" and then I told her I didn't want to hear her yelling again and she said; "ok, sorry Mama"

She actually is very good with sorry, excuse me, thank you, please etc., and she seems to know the right context for it and will offer them up all on her own many times.

The terrible twos, the best and worst of times. LOL

Oh, how I love the ole Midwest

Saw this on a forum!!!!!!!!!

Ok, Show of of Hands
Who's Tired of Snow?

It's winter here in the Midwest
And the gentle breezes blow,
Seventy miles an hour,
At twenty five below.
Oh, how I love the ole Midwest
When the snow's up to your butt.
You take a breath of winter and your nose freezes shut.
Yes, the weather here is wonderful
So I guess I'll hang around.
I could never leave my Midwest
Cause I'm frozen to the ground

I couldn't resist.

Happy Valentines's Day

I almost became stuck in my long driveway due to the snowfall last night, but I chanted "we will get out". My inner drive and optimism came from the fact that I didn't want Tuks to miss her Valentine's Day Party at Daycare!!!!! We made it and hopefully she will have a good party!!!

So a Happy Day to all and celebrate this day with those you love!!!!!!!!!!

I had a dream

last night that I was surprised with the news that the girls were home, and I had to quickly ask for FMLA leave.. BUT in the dream 3 girls came home...HA HA HA

I think it is because I am worried about Lise, the other girl that was originally going home with Cheetah to another family. She still does not have a forever family and I am just worried sick about her.....She becomes more beautiful with each passing day, and older with each passing day...........

anyway the dream was oh so sweet!!!!!!!

Eczema BE GONE!!!!!!!

Tuki has an eczema problem, and from what I can tell from the Guatemalan Adoptive Parent forums, many children born in Guatemala deal with this same issue. Last year her Ped prescribed an ointment with a "slight" amount of steroid in it. I used it even though I was very against applying a steroid to such a young child.

This year, just recently she has been saying that she has an 'ouwie' on her left knee. I kept looking and didn't see a thing at first, but then I started noticing that dreaded eczema. It seems to appear in the winter with all the dry air. Well, I started applying a lotion that is sold from the wellness and natural product company I am a member of (linked on the side) and low and behold it is clearing up. It states that the lotion is used for various skin conditions, but I had no idea how wonderful it was, and better yet, NO STEROIDS!!!.

If you like natural, environmental friendly, and toxic-free products check out the wellness company. I have been very pleased with the items I have been using. I started using a facial skin product for the first time in my life, yeah that's right, and people are telling me that I look super happy, and bright eyed lately. Well I know I am not feeling any happier than normal, most especially since it is the yucky month of February, so I know it is the skin products. One co-worker even said, just out of the blue, that my skin looks great. Now that is a comment I could float on for a long time.............

Clarification

I need to clarify the meat in the meat loaves. I WAS a vegetarian for 13 years. I went back to eating meat when I was in Uganda and I was bed-ridden with dysentery for 2 – 3 days. I actually thought I was going to die. But, I recovered with the help of Imodium, now considered one of my best friends. When I started eating again I decided to start eating the meat being offered and my strength returned. I never went back, but I am still not a big meat consumer, and use a lot of meat substitutes.
Philosophically I still believe eating vegetarian is the way to go.
1. Easier on planet earth
2. More humane
3. Healthier
The problem with me is that I was never really healthy as a vegetarian. I was getting sick often; extremely fatigued and actually heavier in weight than when I am not. I wish I could maintain that eating lifestyle, but it doesn’t work for me and I have decided to allow the girls to choose their eating habits on their own. They will have enough to deal with in "standing out". Believe me if they were vegetarians in my town, they would stand out and be harassed. I could tell you the hard to believe stories of harassment from the police officers all the way to Christians. So little is understood about it, and people feel threatened by it, even if you don't say anything, but just live it quietly, and I don't want to subject my girls to it unless they decide they want to take it on.

Cold doesn't describe it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

- 36 degrees now (with wind chill) and in a few hours a -38 degrees.

That darn Continential Artic Air Mass!!!!!!!!

I can safely say we are having a winter as I remember them from my childhood. Not sure if it is a fond memory though. LOL

EDITED TO ADD:

So today we plan NOT to walk outside, except to let the dogs out, of course, and instead I made double batches of two types of Meatloaf. I am freezing most and keeping one loaf of each out for the week. I made a hamburger type of meatloaf with carrots added, and then I also made a Chicken meatloaf with green olives and rice in it. Both are ooh... so good. Tuks likes them too. Now I have my meals for the week and I just need to add some veggies. Tuki as always is a big help in the kitchen, washing dishes and helping to cook the meals. Sometimes, she really is helpful, and sometimes I just encourage her to be helpful to hopefully instill long term good work ethics.

I also started regular birdhouse gourd seeds yesterday too. Tons of seeds, we'll see how many germinate. If they do, and I can keep them going until it is warm enough to plant outside I will hopefully grow tons of gourds.

Other than that I tend not to like February very much, never have, and this year doesn't seem to be any different. Tired of winter by this time and then it is a month of extremes, and I am longing for spring. I will have to say that I have heard songbirds vocalizing new calls on the somewhat 20 - 30 degree mornings this past week. It again is the sign to me that spring is around a BIG, yet too distant corner...

Just in Case You Were Curious

because I sure was, I know a weird nerd thing to do...I am a weird nerd, and proud of it too.

Distance from Guatemala to Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Distance is 1971 kilometers or 1225 miles or 1064 nautical miles

The distance is the theoretical air distance (great circle distance). Flying between the two locations's airports can be longer or shorter, depending on airport location and actual route chosen.

Heading from Guatemala
Latitude: 14° 38' North
Longitude: 90° 22' West
Initial heading: 74.8° East by north
Final heading: 80.0° East by north



Heading from Port-au-Prince
Latitude: 18° 32' North
Longitude: 72° 20' West
Initial heading: 260.0° West by south
Final heading: 254.8° West by south

Simple Pleasures

Tonight we were at a fundraiser for our science department to acquire more technology for the department. Tuks came along and helped wait on tables. She followed me everywhere, and then returned the numbers back to the counter. People kept commenting on how cute she is, what a big Mama's helper, and the neat thing is she did it all with a huge smile....until she became tired. So then I whisked her on home and to bed.


It is time for another year of gourd growing. I started my seeds last week Wednesday and I already have 8 seeds potted. I have developed a new technique for the fragile seedlings. It gives them enough freedom to grow; yet they are still provided a nurturing environment for new growth.



None of my techniques have encouraged the African Kettle gourds (above)to germinate, so I have yet to have had a the chance to grow one. What is the secret?? Anyone know??


So far I have;

1 dipper seed plant..


4 Apple seed plants.


1 Bushel seed plant

Now, this year I will plant them all in a sunnier spot than last year and apply fertilizer right away.

Birthday wishes

HAPPY BIRTHDAY B!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

the young pup of the group.............

Household Budgets

I have been working on creating a budget for the household. So far I have come up about 80.00 short of what I need every paycheck. I guess I better do some more tweaking!!! ARHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!

I attempted this years ago, but to no avail, but this time I am determined to create one that works.

Debt Reduction

The Adoption process costs money. Even the best laid out plans for the adoption process costs money. But without a doubt it is worth it. My focus the last few years was to grow our family through adoption. Hopefully by the end of 2008 the family will all be together under one roof..hopefully, but if it runs into 2009, then so be it, we will survive.

But I can see that the initial big costs are coming to an end. Even closer after April of this year, so I am now turning my sights onto planning for debt reduction. I have told several friends that my goal is to get rid of all debt except mortgage within the next two years, and then attack that too. It will be hard. I need to stay focused, and sacrifice more of my travel time, but it will be worth it in the long run for me and the girls.

So my first two steps have been:

1. Start a side business to earn more money;
http://www.workathomeunited.com/synergize

I like this business because it is easy to do with another full time job and single or stay at home parenting. Plus it supports my belief system in so many ways. Double plus, the start up cost is next to nothing.

2. I purchased the Dave Ramsey "The Total Money Makeover" book. I have been devouring it. It is so practical, and step by step. I have laid my plan out and I am excited about it because I can see the end result, while standing at the start line.

If you also have a debt reduction goal, this book is a must read.

I’ll let you know more as I progress through the steps.

Dancing!!!!!!!

You may be asking yourself does she really have to use animals to express the level of emotion she feels. The answer is YES!!! I am a nature, outdoors, and ex-farm girl. I truly think in these terms!!! A crazy weird, I know………...but a good crazy weird….

So I am as happy as young stock just let out onto a new pasture after a long winter. If you have never witnessed it, it is a sight to see. They are jumping and running all around with complete abandonment. As the saying goes, they are dancing, in this case a cow dance, like no one is watching. That is me tonight because;

YYYYYYAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHOOOOO
I just found out that Panda is out of IBESR.

Actually the paperwork came out probably early last week. So I am going to pick a date and say she exited January 28th. So I am dancing and rejoicing like no one is watching!!!!!!!!!!


So what's next????

We enter Parquet for, I'm not sure how long, I will say 2 - 3 months or longer, or shorter. It is anyone's guess, but we are closer!!!!!!!!!!