Friday, May 30, 2008

Some Peace

Settling in with our daily life here. Nothing exciting and new. I'm just coming to terms with how things are. The fact that everyone does things differently even just in daily life somewhat helps me come to grips why agencies have to treat each family's situation differently. Once I accepted that, I am more at peace. The fact is that the agencies have one common purpose, to find homes for these babies. Otherwise, I would continue to go nuts about why we are now only getting to see our baby again when we travelled back in December. I'm just happy to get to hold him while I am here, regardless of how the details get worked out. I hope all you blog friends who are reading and waiting find some peace in knowing that.

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Living the Dream





I am finally able to figure out how this all works. The language barrier is kind of harsh. I will write in more detail when I get home but, for now, in short.

Our apartment is great. John and Julie and his family are wonderful to us and we are in the Beverly Hills part of town. When we have water and electricity, life is even more grand. The bazaar is alive and fascinating. I am loving the experience, all of it.

Dylan is doing well. He is much bigger and heavier than in December. He is ferociously gnawing at stuff so I guess he is teething. He also has a cough. But otherwise, he is a happy baby, he smile and giggles quite a bit. It is so so so cute. He is starting to recognize me and get more comfortable. He reaches out for me when I see him and he falls asleep in my arms. I am glad we have this bonding period with him before we take him away. His caregivers are extra nice and we are so fortunate. Here are some pics. I will try and post more later.

Friday, May 23, 2008

Going Freakazoid With A Big Smile

I have never in my life spent 4 days packing, shopping, repacking, shopping, checking off a list, shopping, repacking... you get the picture.

I am utterly exhausted yet I have the biggest smile on my face! There are all sorts of crazy emotions that keep running through me and I am just going for the ride. I worry about the flight and if I get there on time. I worry that I will get to Tokmok and will not be allowed to see Dylan. I worry that my husband won't get his flight preferences. I worry that I will gain weight sitting on a plane. I know, I am a freakazoid but I am happy to admit it.

I must have just been so overwhelmed this last couple of weeks. Ever since I booked my flight (even before knowing we can take Dylan home on the same trip), I've been going 1000 miles an hour trying to get EVERYTHING on this wanna be exhaustive list done. I tried to tie all the loose ends at work so that I don't leave anyone in the dark. I made a list of things I had to buy for this trip. I arranged all the necessary documents for single parent pickup only to get the good news on Monday that we can actually pick him up. So, back to the first version of paperwork I went. Last weekend was also jam packed with activity. Kayaking on Saturday, running Bay to Breakers on Sunday. Well, all this came with steep price. I LOST MY WEDDING RINGS AND I AM TRULY BUMMED ABOUT THAT!!! I put the rings in my pocket on Saturday because carrying kayaks with rings digging into your hand just hurt too much. I took them off and put them in my shorts pocket. Then I changed out of them out in the parking lot and probably dropped them there. I can't recall who said this to me but it went along the line of "that's ok, you lost your rings but you are getting a baby". I guess that person is right. Even though the rings have tremendous sentimental value, it is no match to the fact that a month from now, he'll be home.

The outpouring of love is incredible. I guess I sometimes forget that I'm not in my own little world all by myself. There are so many people who have been waiting for Dylan to come home, even people I don't know and have never met. My co-worker's husband, another co-worker's mom, my blog friends are always asking about Dylan. My friends are also only slightly less excited than me. The day I posted the good news, I got several instant comments, emails and phone calls. Both Bill and my family are going bonkers about the news. They are all rooting for this kid to come home to his forever family. I am just stunned at the community around me.

Our friend Lamar made me a care package and gave it to me over my last sushi dinner for a very long time (oh yes, I worry about that too). It had all sorts of goodies like chocolates, trail mix, tuna, wasabi peas, red vine, dried fruits, etc. etc. I just love her. I will think of her when I eat good chocolates instead of crappy airplane food. She is excited for us and this adventure and we are thrilled to have her to share this with also.

So before I go to bed on this last night before I fly out, I contemplate this journey and where we have been. It has been a long road to Dylan but all that doesn't seem to matter now. I have a huge smile on my face and my heart is all a twitter knowing that our journey with Dylan is just beginning. Good night everyone. Until the next post from Kyrgyzstan...

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Still Stunned but Feeling Good

I am leaving for Kyrgyzstan on Friday. No change of plans there. It just feels really good to know I will not come home without Dylan.

Bill is coming to join us on the 4th. That should be fun too!

I am speechless in a good way.

Monday, May 19, 2008

Seriously?

We were just told we will officially be done with court on June 5th. We can take Dylan from the orphanage on June 2.

If all this is true (someone pinch me please), then we could be home by the 4th week of June.

OK, lots of running around to do.

Wow!!!

Sunday, May 18, 2008

Weekend Update by Ivy Lee

OK, so I stole that title from SNL...

So much has been going on. I haven't had time to update.
Well, Friday was my last day at work. I am officially on leave. After spending a few weeks of just working my butt off training my replacement Controller and handing off projects to other co-workers, I am finally done with 60 hour weeks. Pheeeeww! I have to admit it is quite a relief but I have only had 2 days to mull over this new leaf and these 2 days have been quite busy.

On Saturday, my SIL Mary Kay had her birthday celebrations at Sam's in Tiburon. Sam's Anchor Cafe is this great fish place right off the water in Tiburon. She, her husband Tom, one of her best friends Debbie and Debbie's son rode their bikes from the Presidio, across the Golden Gate Bridge and over to Tiburon (about 20 miles). Some people were smart and decided to drive directly to the restaurant. Being the freakshow who is terrified of bicycles, but less so of big choppy waves, Bill and I decided to kayak from Sausalito to Tiburon to join them for lunch.

It was a gorgeous warm day in the SF Bay Area. It was perfect, up until we crossed Richardson Bay and headed towards Point Belvedere. Since this is my first day out kayaking this year, I was a little nervous. So to go around the point, we usually have to thread between the coast and a large rock and in between these are smaller rocks that you don't want to hit with your kayak. Well, at the last minute, I chickened out and decided I couldn't risk putting a hole in my boat. I decided to take my chances and go on the outside. As soon as I looked to my right, I just saw some wild waves from all directions. There were waves that are caused by the current. There were waves bouncing off the rocks to my left. There were waves that were wakes from big boats and they all kind of converged where I was. To top it off, I was already nervous, hadn't had a thing to eat all morning (it is now about 12:40 pm) and just didn't want to have an accidental swim and show up at the restaurant looking like a wet rat.

So after a lot of hard paddling, maneuvering and grunting, I make it around the point which now should be somewhat calm. Well, it was calmer but not quite calm. The water was swirly and confused from the current the ferry boat wakes and who knows what else, possibly my tummy grumbling and causing vibrations in the water. But we did make it safe and sound to Sam's. So after tying off our boats, both Bill and I cranky from hunger, we go up to the restaurant to meet up with everyone else. It ended up being a really nice lunch for Mary Kay. We also ran into some friends and their baby Russell. Oh so cute and not far in age from Dylan. Can you say, boating buddies of the future? So, after much chatting, we head back and have a nicer, less wavy ride back to Sausalito and sit in an hour and a half of traffic to get home.

Sunday is the Bay to Breakers run where we run from the San Francisco Bay, across the city to the Pacific Ocean side. This is the 97th year and every year, there are world class runners, avid amateur runners, regular runners, walkers, people with their baby strollers, naked people, people in g-strings and banana hammocks, people dressed up in costumes, people walking a small float, etc. etc. etc. And along the course, there are local bands playing, more people dressed up, people handing out jello shots, the homeless of San Francisco, religious groups broadcasting their messages, the aroma of the sweet leaf wafting through the air, people on their stoop eating breakfast, an Elvis impersonator and his band, disco balls out of someone's garage, and whatever else I missed.

Mary Kay, Debbie, Bill and I decided to participate. Bill has done it before but I am a Bay to Breakers virgin. For me, the best part is this. (Those who know me well, don't fall off your chair, ok?) I ran 90% of it and only walked 10% f the course - 12K or 7.5 miles!!Unbelievable for someone like me who hates endurance sports, running in particular. It started out as a slow jog to get around the slow walkers but then I just kept going, like Forest Gump. Next thing I knew, I was looking up at the dreaded Hays St. hill and I still kept going. At mile 4 I couldn't believe I was still alive and still jogging. It started to sink in that I may be able to finish the course running. It also helped that my brain was a little cloudy. Whenever I saw the markers, I thought that was the beginning of that mile. When I got to the mile 6 marker, I thought I had 2 or so more miles to go. When I saw the breakers on the Pacific Ocean and people on the sidelines cheering, it dawned on me that I was almost done. Holy cow! Ignorance is truly bliss. What d'ya know, it's true.

This was us at the end of the race, before I knew we had to walk another mile or 2 before the day was over.


This was us at MK's house, after our run.

At the end of a fabulously energizing and life affirming weekend (albeit sore legs and shoulders), I sit here and ponder what the future holds for me. My life with Bill is good. We have love and laughter and health. And I go into this upcoming week knowing that I will be holding Dylan at this time next week. I will bring this baby home sooner or later because he is all we need now and we are ready to go up the Hays St. hill next year with a stroller.

Thursday, May 1, 2008

What the %$#!!!!!!i

No court, no pick up date, NOTHING. Court did not happen on the 25th. The officials were in Switzerland visiting Kyrgyz adoptees. The next court date scheduled is at the end of May, if it happens at all.

How is it that other families from a couple of other agencies are bringing their babies home and here we are, still stuck?? This is so insane. All I can say is what the fuck????