Random Ramblings

Adoption Update

At this point, I'm waiting for my Letter of Acceptance (LOA) from China. Once we get that letter it should be approximately 10-12 weeks until we travel. The wait for this letter begins when you get Pre-Approval (PA) for your specific child. Could be 30 days, could be 100 days. It's like a surprise party for your mailbox.

It's all pretty random apparently. I'm thinking of sending China a fruit basket to show them how much I care.

I'm at day 29. The average is like 75. Sigh.

This is another of those times when the adoption crazy starts to set in. I don't want to bother my agency relentlessly so I try to limit my emails to once a week. I feel an incredible sense of accomplishment when I've gotten through the day without emailing them. Then I can drift into the sweet slumber of someone who is most definitely not a stalker.

We heard that Talitha's surgery is the end of this month but that's in like 10 days and we still don't know any more details. I want to send whoever will be staying with her a package with a stuffed animal and a camera to document the process but I can't. Trying to fight the crazy right now.

Pop Culture

Matt is somewhat famous in my family for not knowing much of anything about pop culture. I really feel that if we bumped into Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, he would not know who they were. It's really fun to have him try to guess while you're humming 'Another One Bites the Dust' while playing Cranium. Your blood pressure rises while you hum loudly (as if he could only recognize the tune in certain pitches). Once while playing a game, my sister's boyfriend, Mitch, was trying to get my dad and Matt to guess 'Elijah Wood.' He said "Oh, this is the actor who played Frodo Baggins." Blank stares. "You know, Lord of the Rings?" Nothing. My dad and Matt look at each other and shrug. Mitch just sat in shock for a couple seconds then started saying "Mr. Frodo, Mr. Frodo!" in desperation.

They never got that point.

Often while we're watching a show or movie, I'll say "Oh, he was in that movie about WWII" or "She's so-and-so's daughter." He has no idea about any of it so he'll just start mocking me.

I don't know why we haven't been asked to teach a marriage seminar.

Last night we were watching 'The Office' and this was what happened:

"Oh, that's Joan Cusak!"

"Oh yeah, she's married to John Cusak."

"No, that's her brother."

"There's really a John Cusak?"

"Yes, how could you not know that?"

"Is he on SNL?"

Spandex

I bought one of those shaping tanks last year. Because I needed a bit of shaping. It pretty much compresses you to the point of light-headedness. Which makes your torso look great. Very sleek. The problem is that the fat has to go somewhere. So you end up with puffy armpits or a bubbly back. Not good.

I can't imagine the spandex things that go over your thighs. Knees like watermelon.

The Houdini of Bodily Functions

I went out to the workshop for a bit this afternoon to spray-paint some furniture handles. Katie and Noah were watching a movie on the couch when I stepped out. When I came back in, Noah held his hands out for me to wash. And then I noticed the odor. A sense of dread settled over me. Like spandex.

In the family room there was a little pile of feces. It looked suspiciously toddler-like. Noah was wearing a romper, like this:



I found his diaper down the hall. He had taken off his diaper and pooped on the floor.

His romper was still completely snapped.

I feel both alarmed and oddly proud. Boy's got skills.