Sunday, January 18, 2009
Could it be true?
There's a rumor out there saying there's a very, very, very, very slight chance CCAA will get to March 24 in matching. The rumor is based on the near doubling of the orphanage fee. We should know, hopefully, by the end of this week if it's actually true.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Happy New Year... will 2009 be the one?
We think so. Emphasis on the word "think."
Not too much is really new on our end. We had a nice visit with Kevin's family in Springfield, MO over the Thanksgiving holiday.
Christmas and New Year's were both quiet and enjoyable without any travel. We spent the time in Michigan with colds. That's what we got for the holidays!
We both have decided to have a healthier lifestyle in 2009. So, we've been eating much better and exercising. In fact, we purchased the Wii Fit; now we just need the Wii! They've told us it's harder to find the Wii Fit than it is to find the Wii, so we bought it one day walking into Best Buy as they were unpacking. Of course, we have been on the hunt for a Wii without much luck.
There has not been much movement on the adoption; however, it seems as though we should get our referral this year. If you notice to the left of the site, we've added two calendars, March and April of 2006. CCAA has referred children to those families that were logged in through February 28, 2006. Our LID is April 24, 2006 (notice the yellow background with the ladybug on it.)
There are now 55 days until CCAA matches our LID. That's good news!
They are averaging six days of referrals every month. If you take 55 days and divide that by the average of six, we are looking at 9.2 months until we receive our referral. We are hopeful that our referral will come in September/October 2009. So, that's good news!
We've begun talking about starting the room as it seems like it's getting closer... and nine months isn't too far away. I'm sure it will fly by.
Our next steps are to continue saving for the referral. The orphanage fees have nearly doubled among other fees.
Not sure if you remember, but our file was lost between Illinois and Michigan. That has since been resolved. Honestly, we still don't understand how and why, but we were able to recreate a new file in Michigan; therefore, our original file is still MIA. While we're not happy about it, there's nothing we can do about it.
Please check back more often than you have, now, as we will be updating more frequently this year than last.
Here's hoping to a healthy and prosperous New Year!
Not too much is really new on our end. We had a nice visit with Kevin's family in Springfield, MO over the Thanksgiving holiday.
Christmas and New Year's were both quiet and enjoyable without any travel. We spent the time in Michigan with colds. That's what we got for the holidays!
We both have decided to have a healthier lifestyle in 2009. So, we've been eating much better and exercising. In fact, we purchased the Wii Fit; now we just need the Wii! They've told us it's harder to find the Wii Fit than it is to find the Wii, so we bought it one day walking into Best Buy as they were unpacking. Of course, we have been on the hunt for a Wii without much luck.
There has not been much movement on the adoption; however, it seems as though we should get our referral this year. If you notice to the left of the site, we've added two calendars, March and April of 2006. CCAA has referred children to those families that were logged in through February 28, 2006. Our LID is April 24, 2006 (notice the yellow background with the ladybug on it.)
There are now 55 days until CCAA matches our LID. That's good news!
They are averaging six days of referrals every month. If you take 55 days and divide that by the average of six, we are looking at 9.2 months until we receive our referral. We are hopeful that our referral will come in September/October 2009. So, that's good news!
We've begun talking about starting the room as it seems like it's getting closer... and nine months isn't too far away. I'm sure it will fly by.
Our next steps are to continue saving for the referral. The orphanage fees have nearly doubled among other fees.
Not sure if you remember, but our file was lost between Illinois and Michigan. That has since been resolved. Honestly, we still don't understand how and why, but we were able to recreate a new file in Michigan; therefore, our original file is still MIA. While we're not happy about it, there's nothing we can do about it.
Please check back more often than you have, now, as we will be updating more frequently this year than last.
Here's hoping to a healthy and prosperous New Year!
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Happy 14th Anniversary!
On Wednesday, we celebrated our 14th wedding anniversary. It's hard to believe we've been married for 14 years!
On Friday, we went up north and spent the weekend in Traverse City, MI. Here is the view from our hotel...
On Saturday morning, we went to the end of the Mission Peninsula. Here is the view from the Lighthouse...
After leaving the lighthouse, we stopped off to get a view of the colors and vineyards... Here's happy Jenn...
After Mission Peninsula, we spent time between many different towns... Elk Rapids, Charlevoix and Petoskey. Here is the view from Petoskey...
On Sunday morning, we woke up early and ate at the Omelette Shoppe & Bakery in Traverse City. OUTSTANDING!!! Then left there and drove to northwestern Michigan around Crystal Lake and sat on the beach of Lake Michigan and saw the Point Betsie Lighthouse...
After leaving there, we drove the remainder of the way home... through Manistee and Ludington. While those two towns were not as fun as the TC area, the drive was absolutely beautiful...
We had a lot of fun!
Enjoy the shots...
On Friday, we went up north and spent the weekend in Traverse City, MI. Here is the view from our hotel...
On Saturday morning, we went to the end of the Mission Peninsula. Here is the view from the Lighthouse...
After leaving the lighthouse, we stopped off to get a view of the colors and vineyards... Here's happy Jenn...
After Mission Peninsula, we spent time between many different towns... Elk Rapids, Charlevoix and Petoskey. Here is the view from Petoskey...
On Sunday morning, we woke up early and ate at the Omelette Shoppe & Bakery in Traverse City. OUTSTANDING!!! Then left there and drove to northwestern Michigan around Crystal Lake and sat on the beach of Lake Michigan and saw the Point Betsie Lighthouse...
After leaving there, we drove the remainder of the way home... through Manistee and Ludington. While those two towns were not as fun as the TC area, the drive was absolutely beautiful...
We had a lot of fun!
Enjoy the shots...
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Growing numb...
They say blogging is most effective when you do it regularly. It's our policy at the newspaper that bloggers post two-to-three times per week to make it effective. Interestingly enough, we don't follow the guidelines that are set in place at work for this blog.
So the question is... why?
Perhaps it's a lack of time.
Perhaps it's the fact that we don't have anything to say.
Perhaps it's hard to focus on something that we have absolutely no control over so we avoid it.
I s'pose the latter is the most appropriate. After all who wants to think about something that you want but can't have until your time is up... without any control... no opportunity for persuasion... absolutely no way of tipping your waiter to get a better table. You get my point.
Well, today is our 28th month anniversary to our LID. I know it's stupid that we know these things... but we count things... our ages... our years together... the gasoline prices... the number of hours we work... our stock prices... so it's no surprise that we count our adoption anniversary.
Of course, I can't sit here and say that nothing has happened over the past four months.
My parents and I drove to Springfield, MO to visit my brother, sister-in-law, niece and nephew...
Jenn's brother and his two boys came to visit us...
And, of course, spent time with friends and hung around the state of Michigan.
The most disturbing thing that's happened is that our immigration file is missing. Yes... MISSING! Since we left the state of Illinois and moved to the state of Michigan, we had to have our file transferred. Makes sense. Well, when our fingerprints expired toward the end of June and we never received an invitation from the state of Michigan to get them redone... we started asking questions. Ended up getting Congressman Rogers' office involved... then got Senator Stabenow's office involved. Both from Michigan.
The purpose was to open an investigation for the Detroit office to audit all files in hopes of finding ours. The final determination that our file is not in Detroit came down last week. Letrice Bonner, the Congressional liaison specialist with the Department of Homeland Security writes: "... informed me once again that he does not have their file which was supposedly transferred from Chicago." She goes on to say, "if they like, they could just send copies of the original submission with an updated home study and a receipt notice and he can adjudicate the case then."
Isn't that just wonderful news? We can merely send copies to the Detroit office and not worry anymore.
Well, I don't know about you but I really am not thrilled with the fact that copies of our birth certificates, marriage license, tax returns from the previous year, and our original home study is MISSING!
Do I have a right to be irritated? Or should I be thrilled that we can just send copies of these documents to Detroit and have a complete file for immigration which falls under homeland security?
Obviously, we're making the copies... but what about our personal information just floating around... lost. In this age of identify theft... all we need to do is make copies... no worries. "We'll get your file all set up, Mr. McFatridge."
We have contacted Congressman Manzullo's office in Illinois to investigate if Chicago immigration actually did send our file to Detroit. Still awaiting results on that one.
Our caseworker in Illinois said that they just slap a first-class stamp on these files and take them to the post office. NO TRACKING NUMBER. NO CERTIFIED MAIL. NO SIGNATURE UPON RECEIPT. NO NOTHING. Perhaps it's our fault. We should have asked. Or, we should have just gone to Chicago and picked up the file ourselves? I don't know. Hindsight is always 20/20. But we're in yet another predicament. OH wait, did I mention that we couldn't pick up our own file because we could "alter the information." Hmmm... what's happening now? We could alter the information.
They say that adoption is very stressful and a lot of people drop out or just can't take the bureaucracy. We really have been more frustrated with the steps taken rather than the stress or bureaucracy of the whole thing. But this last part has really taken it's toll on us. Both of us.
Our friends are telling us... it's worth the wait. Or, you'll get through it. Or, whatever... Well, let me tell you... it's not helping. It's taking us to a whole new place right now. One of numbness. And, that's not good.
The two couples we started this whole journey with, both now have their second child. One is from Korea... one is special needs from China. Both are absolutely gorgeous. But I'd be lying to you right now if it I said it didn't hurt. But what can we do?
So... we continue to move forward with our lives. We eat, sleep, work and have fun. That's all we can do, I guess. Just knowing you're all there for us is enough. Keep us in your thoughts and prayers to help us through this difficult time.
We are thankful for each other, our health and, of course, our friends and family.
One piece of sweet news is that our friends' sister sent us a beautiful quilt... out of the blue... we LOVE HER!
Peace!
So the question is... why?
Perhaps it's a lack of time.
Perhaps it's the fact that we don't have anything to say.
Perhaps it's hard to focus on something that we have absolutely no control over so we avoid it.
I s'pose the latter is the most appropriate. After all who wants to think about something that you want but can't have until your time is up... without any control... no opportunity for persuasion... absolutely no way of tipping your waiter to get a better table. You get my point.
Well, today is our 28th month anniversary to our LID. I know it's stupid that we know these things... but we count things... our ages... our years together... the gasoline prices... the number of hours we work... our stock prices... so it's no surprise that we count our adoption anniversary.
Of course, I can't sit here and say that nothing has happened over the past four months.
My parents and I drove to Springfield, MO to visit my brother, sister-in-law, niece and nephew...
Jenn's brother and his two boys came to visit us...And, of course, spent time with friends and hung around the state of Michigan.
The most disturbing thing that's happened is that our immigration file is missing. Yes... MISSING! Since we left the state of Illinois and moved to the state of Michigan, we had to have our file transferred. Makes sense. Well, when our fingerprints expired toward the end of June and we never received an invitation from the state of Michigan to get them redone... we started asking questions. Ended up getting Congressman Rogers' office involved... then got Senator Stabenow's office involved. Both from Michigan.
The purpose was to open an investigation for the Detroit office to audit all files in hopes of finding ours. The final determination that our file is not in Detroit came down last week. Letrice Bonner, the Congressional liaison specialist with the Department of Homeland Security writes: "... informed me once again that he does not have their file which was supposedly transferred from Chicago." She goes on to say, "if they like, they could just send copies of the original submission with an updated home study and a receipt notice and he can adjudicate the case then."
Isn't that just wonderful news? We can merely send copies to the Detroit office and not worry anymore.
Well, I don't know about you but I really am not thrilled with the fact that copies of our birth certificates, marriage license, tax returns from the previous year, and our original home study is MISSING!
Do I have a right to be irritated? Or should I be thrilled that we can just send copies of these documents to Detroit and have a complete file for immigration which falls under homeland security?
Obviously, we're making the copies... but what about our personal information just floating around... lost. In this age of identify theft... all we need to do is make copies... no worries. "We'll get your file all set up, Mr. McFatridge."
We have contacted Congressman Manzullo's office in Illinois to investigate if Chicago immigration actually did send our file to Detroit. Still awaiting results on that one.
Our caseworker in Illinois said that they just slap a first-class stamp on these files and take them to the post office. NO TRACKING NUMBER. NO CERTIFIED MAIL. NO SIGNATURE UPON RECEIPT. NO NOTHING. Perhaps it's our fault. We should have asked. Or, we should have just gone to Chicago and picked up the file ourselves? I don't know. Hindsight is always 20/20. But we're in yet another predicament. OH wait, did I mention that we couldn't pick up our own file because we could "alter the information." Hmmm... what's happening now? We could alter the information.
They say that adoption is very stressful and a lot of people drop out or just can't take the bureaucracy. We really have been more frustrated with the steps taken rather than the stress or bureaucracy of the whole thing. But this last part has really taken it's toll on us. Both of us.
Our friends are telling us... it's worth the wait. Or, you'll get through it. Or, whatever... Well, let me tell you... it's not helping. It's taking us to a whole new place right now. One of numbness. And, that's not good.
The two couples we started this whole journey with, both now have their second child. One is from Korea... one is special needs from China. Both are absolutely gorgeous. But I'd be lying to you right now if it I said it didn't hurt. But what can we do?
So... we continue to move forward with our lives. We eat, sleep, work and have fun. That's all we can do, I guess. Just knowing you're all there for us is enough. Keep us in your thoughts and prayers to help us through this difficult time.
We are thankful for each other, our health and, of course, our friends and family.
One piece of sweet news is that our friends' sister sent us a beautiful quilt... out of the blue... we LOVE HER!
Peace!
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