Sunday, May 30, 2004
A Great Weekend
We have had the most amazing weekend! Friday night we had a romantic, celebratory dinner at Grove Park, by the windows overlooking the mountains. I think I had four deserts! I was in heaven!
Saturday, we decided to keep on celebrating our happy time, going to downtown Asheville to enjoy the city. We walked to all the hippie places we've been curious about, and then had great hot dogs at the Grove Arcade deli. As we were eating the last few bites, Steve realized we could make it to the movie at the Fine Arts, "Into the Void". It was a great documentary about walking into the unknown, but surviving to tell about it!
Sunday, we had a great time at church and then came home to reality.
You see, I only have a week to finish the manuscript for a three volume book set of fluency texts that Dr. Rasinski and I are doing for Scholastic! OOPS! Fortunately, Steve is helping out immensely and I think we will pull it off. We have until Saturday to have all the holes filled!
No regrets! The weekend has been great! I'll write tomorrow and maybe bake some strawberry/rhubarb tarts!
By the way, I'm going to be a mom!!
Saturday, we decided to keep on celebrating our happy time, going to downtown Asheville to enjoy the city. We walked to all the hippie places we've been curious about, and then had great hot dogs at the Grove Arcade deli. As we were eating the last few bites, Steve realized we could make it to the movie at the Fine Arts, "Into the Void". It was a great documentary about walking into the unknown, but surviving to tell about it!
Sunday, we had a great time at church and then came home to reality.
You see, I only have a week to finish the manuscript for a three volume book set of fluency texts that Dr. Rasinski and I are doing for Scholastic! OOPS! Fortunately, Steve is helping out immensely and I think we will pull it off. We have until Saturday to have all the holes filled!
No regrets! The weekend has been great! I'll write tomorrow and maybe bake some strawberry/rhubarb tarts!
By the way, I'm going to be a mom!!
Friday, May 28, 2004
Finally the Form
My cell phone buzzed on my desk with only two minutes left until the final bell of a long last full week of fifth grade. The kids yelled, "Your phone is buzzing, Mrs. Griffith!" I thought I should just let it go, but then remembered I wanted to tell Steve something. I decided to pick up!
" I have bad news" .... (I knew this was in regard to the 171-H form ... But by this time - after a 59 day wait, we were okay with bad news - just desperate for ANY news.) Then he continued, "Oh did I say 'bad news'? I meant 'good news'! The form came today! I have it in my hand and I am on my way the adoption agency!"
Steve had lowered my expectations with his first sinister comment, so he definitely got a loud reaction when I realized what he was saying.... I hugged a parent of one of my students, both of us crying and jumping up and down!
Of course my students wanted to know what was going on, but I wanted to REALLY tell them - not just the 2 minute version. (I haven't told my children anything about the adoption, because I wanted to wait until it felt real.) The bell rang but my students didn't move - they waited! So I said calmly, "Go home and have a great weekend! I'll tell you all about it Tuesday!"
We signed a paper at the agency to validate the fact that our 171H is authentic. We now simply wait to hear we are DTC, dossier to China! We now know we are in the June DTC group and may have a referral as early as January.
We are SO thankful!
Tonight we are going to Grove Park Inn to celebrate with the seafood buffet! I have been saving a gift certificate from some of my school kids for a special occasion! I think this qualifies!
" I have bad news" .... (I knew this was in regard to the 171-H form ... But by this time - after a 59 day wait, we were okay with bad news - just desperate for ANY news.) Then he continued, "Oh did I say 'bad news'? I meant 'good news'! The form came today! I have it in my hand and I am on my way the adoption agency!"
Steve had lowered my expectations with his first sinister comment, so he definitely got a loud reaction when I realized what he was saying.... I hugged a parent of one of my students, both of us crying and jumping up and down!
Of course my students wanted to know what was going on, but I wanted to REALLY tell them - not just the 2 minute version. (I haven't told my children anything about the adoption, because I wanted to wait until it felt real.) The bell rang but my students didn't move - they waited! So I said calmly, "Go home and have a great weekend! I'll tell you all about it Tuesday!"
We signed a paper at the agency to validate the fact that our 171H is authentic. We now simply wait to hear we are DTC, dossier to China! We now know we are in the June DTC group and may have a referral as early as January.
We are SO thankful!
Tonight we are going to Grove Park Inn to celebrate with the seafood buffet! I have been saving a gift certificate from some of my school kids for a special occasion! I think this qualifies!
Friday, May 21, 2004
Poetry
MSNBC had a special called, "Lost Girls of China" on National Geographic Ultimate Explorer last night. Although there was very little new information for me, my emotions were hard to control as I saw families finally met a little girl from China. But there was also the sensitive issue of girls in China, the sad decision made by a birth parent.
A few weeks ago, a dear friend sent us the following poem published in a book called The Next Bend in the Road, by Michael Fried. The poet recently made a similar trip to China, evident in the beauty and angst of this poem.
The Send-Off
The hummingbird looks up from his flower punchbowl with an
expression of pure dazzlement.
The May morning is that perfect,
our eleven-month-old daughter in her Grandma's-gift
raspberry sundress is that astonishing.
She came here in stages
from Wuhan, China, where we adopted her
in the eye of a cyclone.
En route from the orphanage
all the while Anna slept in your arms
her birth mother's tears rose wavelike from the dusty earth
to speed us on our way.
(By the way, this amazing and informative program will be repeated on Saturday, June 26th at 8:00 p.m. on MSNBC, if you are interested in seeing it.)
A few weeks ago, a dear friend sent us the following poem published in a book called The Next Bend in the Road, by Michael Fried. The poet recently made a similar trip to China, evident in the beauty and angst of this poem.
The Send-Off
The hummingbird looks up from his flower punchbowl with an
expression of pure dazzlement.
The May morning is that perfect,
our eleven-month-old daughter in her Grandma's-gift
raspberry sundress is that astonishing.
She came here in stages
from Wuhan, China, where we adopted her
in the eye of a cyclone.
En route from the orphanage
all the while Anna slept in your arms
her birth mother's tears rose wavelike from the dusty earth
to speed us on our way.
(By the way, this amazing and informative program will be repeated on Saturday, June 26th at 8:00 p.m. on MSNBC, if you are interested in seeing it.)
Saturday, May 01, 2004
Waiting
We are still waiting for the I171H from from the INS! It could be 7 more weeks at the outside estimate but could have been last Saturday according to other North Carolinians' experiences...
I was actually relieved to have a lot of housework facing me this morning and disappointed I only had two loads of laundry. Now that's CRAZY!! I'm trying my best to be patient and enjoy every day - but the weekends are about to kill me!
I was actually relieved to have a lot of housework facing me this morning and disappointed I only had two loads of laundry. Now that's CRAZY!! I'm trying my best to be patient and enjoy every day - but the weekends are about to kill me!
