More Forms

(The following post was written in a notebook but not actually posted on the blog until we received our referral because we didn’t tell our family that we were in process. We waited until we had the referral for our son before we published on the blog because we wanted to do this “covertly” and have it be a surprise to as many people as possible.)

So, Tony got the “informal” medical forms yesterday. I delivered them to Holt this morning. They are still waiting on criminal checks from the FBI and mine from Florida. I asked how long those take and was told the FBI can take anywhere from 8-12 weeks! Really? So we are looking at the end of September at the earliest to start the Home Study. She said she would send the bill for the Home Study in a couple of weeks.

We also received our Birth Certificate copies today. Two more documents to check off!

Medical Exams

(The following post was written in a notebook but not actually posted on the blog until we received our referral because we didn’t tell our family that we were in process. We waited until we had the referral for our son before we published on the blog because we wanted to do this “covertly” and have it be a surprise to as many people as possible.)

August 23 was our medical exams with tests that have to be run, including a TB test. For a TB test you have to go back 2-3 days later to have it “read.” So I went back this morning and, of course, it was negative. I was hoping to pick up the one form so I could get it to Holt but it had been misplaced. Wow! I had everything in an envelope. How could that happen?

OK, so another small glitch. I thought I had the form on my flash drive but not THAT form. Only the form for the dossier that needs to be notarized. So I got the email address of the nurse so I could email her the form and have her print it out and have my doctor fill it out and sign it. Tony was going in the afternoon to have his TB test read so I asked him to pick it up if it was ready. Then if his was also ready, I can take both forms to Holt tomorrow. Geesh! HIPPA also plays a role in this and I won’t go into that!

Coordinating getting the Notary there to watch the doctors sign the other forms will be the next challenge!

Steppin' Up

Our little girl is growing up. Not only has she made great strides in her mental and physical growth since we came home 16 months ago, she is now into the next step of her walk of faith. Sunday, our church had their annual Steppin' Up celebration during church. This is where the kids parade into the sanctuary with different colored balloons to represent their different aged classes and they move to their new class.

Well, this year Meighan was old enough to move from nursery to Preschool A (based on her birthdate). She got to carry an orange balloon and most of the kids in this class had a parent to carry them or walk them in. After the parade and a song with the congregation, they all went to their new class. The teacher, Miss Marlo, immediately got out Playdoh for the kids to play with. Meighan was a little apprehensive about touching it but I worked a little bit in my hand to show her what to do with it. She eventually sat down on a chair and I eventually slipped out of the room to join Tony in the service. Afterwards, we went to get her (and show Tony where the room is) and I think she hadn't moved from that chair and one of the helpers was playing with her with the Playdoh! Others of the kids were down playing with toys, etc., but Meighan hadn't moved! She liked the Playdoh! She did wonderful!

I, however, had my little "mom moment" and teared up a little while walking into the sanctuary with her -- knowing that this is a "next step" for her. I'm also a little disappointed that she will be in Sunday School and not sitting with us most of the time. She has come with us to the service most of the time and she's done pretty well. I wanted her to know how to sit in church (as much as a toddler sits!)

So, after Sunday School and church, they had a big celebration out on the front lawn with 3 bouncy houses (something Meighan just LOVES!), carnival games with little prizes, face painting, balloon artists, vinyl sign makers and a meal consisting of hamburgers/hot dogs, chips, drinks and ice cream bars. It was kinda hot that day but at least it wasn't rainy. Quite a nice day for something like that.

So now Meighan will get to spend time with some kids her own age (and maybe start talking more?) and we will actually get to listen to the sermon. There's good and bad things to having Sunday School during the worship service.

Painting a Moving Target

A while back Meighan helped me shake up my nail polish bottles. Then she wanted to shake them up again. That's what she thought they were for--to hear the little balls shake inside them. So I painted my little fingernail and said that's what this is for. I asked her if she wanted her nails painted. No. So I painted my whole hand. Do you want this? No. So I painted my other hand. THIS is what it's for. It's nail polish. Do you want that on your fingernails? No. And she wouldn't let me pick her up. So I took it off.

The other day she wanted me to paint her nails. Then when I got the bottle open, she didn't want her nails painted. So I put the brush away and then she changed her mind...again. (This is normal for her!) I got her one hand painted and then heard a car door. Our speech therapist was arriving. So I painted her other hand real quick. Not a great paint job by any means! I told her to hold her hands up like this (TEN FINGERS!). She greeted the speech therapist like that and WELL after they had time to dry, she wouldn't use her hands. It was quite funny!

So as of today, she's had nail polish on for almost 48 hours. She looks at her nails every once in a while and we say "pretty nails!"

Fashion Sense - NOT!

This is what happens when you let a 32-month-old pick out her own clothes for the day.

The Cats

Our two cats are having to play second fiddle since we brought Meighan home. Sunshine wants NOTHING to do with Meighan and Misty tolerates her. If Misty forces her way onto my lap and Meighan sees that she's there, Meighan immediately comes over and tries (usually succeeds) to push her off my lap so she can sit there for a couple seconds before continuing on with her busy-ness. Here's a few pictures taken recently of our cats.

Misty will actually "guard" Meighan sometimes. This particular morning, Meighan had ended up in our bed after not sleeping through the night.

They both love the smell of ham when Tony is making his lunch. This was a cute picture.

This was another time that Meighan was on our bed for a nap and Misty laid down like a "wedge" at the foot of the bed. I like the look on her face.

I love this picture! Meighan put the leis on Misty and Misty is giving a look like "Look what I have to put up with!" and Meighan has a look of satisfaction on her face!

This is our Princess Sunshine. I caught her hiding at the corner of our bedspread before we went to church yesterday. She keeps her (very FAR) distance from Meighan and runs whenever she knows Meighan sees her and might actually come near her!

PIP Class, Day 2

(The following post was written in a notebook but not actually posted on the blog until we received our referral because we didn’t tell our family that we were in process. We waited until we had the referral for our son before we published on the blog because we wanted to do this “covertly” and have it be a surprise to as many people as possible.)

Today was the second day of our PIP training. We all got to know each other better and we all have each other’s phones and email addresses so we can stay in touch. Tony told me later that it would be kind of neat if we got to travel with at least one of the other couples. We’re all going with the China Child of Promise option so we’ll see…

I thought it was good to take a “class” for this training because last time we did the training via DVD and online testing so we didn’t have other people’s input, but this time it was good to bounce things off other people.

We also found out that all Holt needs from us is our criminal checks (waiting for Nebraska State Patrol to send to Holt) and our medical forms and then they can start the Home Study. So…I’ll make appointments with our doctors.

PIP Class

(The following post was written in a notebook but not actually posted on the blog until we received our referral because we didn’t tell our family that we were in process. We waited until we had the referral for our son before we published on the blog because we wanted to do this “covertly” and have it be a surprise to as many people as possible.)

Today was the first of two days of the required 10 hours of education that we need to do in order to adopt from a Hague country. Holt calls it “Parents in Process” (PIP). There are 7 couples! Wow! Large/full class! Two of us are “veteran adopters.” The other five couples all have at least one child but are adopting for the first time. Two of the couples are planning to adopt from Korea and the other five of us are going to China.