It's back to work to go...

September 25, 2005 Back to work after a three-week respite! I loved it. F did catch a cold during the last week but overall it was a great vacation.

Mr. P Came To Visit Again

September 24, 2005 Our social worker, Mr. P, arrived right at 10:00 a.m. and began the review of our journey. He asked several questions about our vacation and he also just returned from a vacation in Branson, Missouri. He spoke to us individually, mainly going over the autobiography that we each wrote. He asked me about my first (very short) marriage, my miscarriage (and about “disappointments in life”), also about what a nice guy and friend I have in my husband. We asked about Leaa & Jesse being the guardians of Lizzy since they are under the age of 30 and the dossier package states they must be over the age of 30. He will get back to us on that item. He also mentioned that we would be good candidates for two girls, which we did write into our adoption petition. He needed to leave after one hour and a half and will call once he has a draft home study report written to do a final review and fill in any gaps.

The "To Do" List

September 23, 2005 I typed in a draft list of “adoption to do list”, a list of items to remember after reading the book “A Passage to the Heart”, a draft packing list for the trip to China and a very long general “to do list” for us to accomplish over the next six months. We need to get the third bedroom ready/redecorate; a home business started (bring in new funds!!) and follow a strict budget. Money will soon be an issue and we have many dreams for this house (fix the third bathroom, paint the entire interior and exterior, remodel the old garage into a den, laundry and storage area, fix the porch “kitchen” area, new gutters, landscaping, tile the porch floors and screen in the front porch… plus many more). In addition, we will have nanny costs, prepaying college costs and anything else that comes along with providing for a new daughter.

Bye Maine

September 21, 2005 We are on the drive home and I am trying to update this journal; very difficult with the sun in the screen. We will be home - in our house - tonight!

Conversation Adoption

September 10, 2005 The family celebration is finally (really) here. We have told all of our family about the plans to adopt so much of our conversation is about getting Lizzy. No good answers about the “when” date, as it could be next July, August or September.

We're In Maine - Aly's Home...

September 08, 2005 We checked into the rental house in Woolwich, Maine, which is where we will host the 50th Anniversary party. Ford gave me an anniversary gift that he bought on line at a jewelry store. It is a swan necklace of ivory that entwines the two swans together to connect the necklace (rather than a clasp). We were not to buy gifts for each other so as usual he broke the rule!! It is beautiful and continues the swan stories. He will write about the story he has when he acquired the necklace.

Anniversaries, Birthdays, It Must Be Maine!

September 02, 2005 We are driving to Maine after our day at work; planning to leave work before 4:00 p.m. in order to get a head start on our travel trip. This trip is to host a 50th wedding anniversary party for my parents, A & T. Their anniversary was on August 13th (being married in 1955). The family party is also for celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary, M's 40th birthday, G’s 50th birthday (November 5th), T’s 50th birthday (April 15, 2006) and their 23rd wedding anniversary. ATW also just had his 18th birthday, which we will celebrate on Sunday when we arrive in Gray, Maine. Our adoption journey will slow down while on this vacation. We are waiting on Ford’s doctor’s letter explaining his blood pressure medicine and we are also expecting an express envelope for an authentication that was mailed a few weeks ago. Once we return, we will have the home study interviews on September 24th and will continue getting documents notarized. Much to do. We hope to have everything done by early December. From reading the journey stories on the web (http://www.bluelotussoft.com/), if we have our dossier to China date (DTC) in January along with the logged in date (LID), then we will expect to get our daughter, the “referral”, in about 6 months then travel within 6 – 8 weeks after that date.