Phase Two of paperwork begins! We got our packet in the mail and should be hearing from our social worker any day now. Letters of recommendation need to be written stating we aren't ding-dongs. Lots of birth and marriage certificates to be ordered. Doctors appointments to be made. Criminal background checks. Then we have to file an I-600 report which looks time-consuming but fairly straightforward. Holy cow! This is starting to feel real! We're told that this paperwork is nothing compared to the dossier that awaits us, but it's good practice and keeps us busy.
Tonight is a very blustery and delightfully warm Halloween night, and we had many cutie-pies come to our door. I'm a big believer in saying "Trick or Treat!" to get the candy, so when I asked one little girl who was eying the candy bowl, "What do you say on Halloween night?" she looked up quizzically and said, "Please?" Too cute.
Ryan and I both wondered aloud in what Halloween year we'll be taking our own kids... 2011? 2012? As exciting as this all is, it seems so astoundingly far away sometimes. But, on the other hand, it will be a good incentive to finally paint the rooms inside the house. We've been lagging a bit on that front and concentrating more on the yard since moving in last year. It's time to get these tan walls spiced up.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Ethiopian cuisine (semi-prequel)
Should've posted this a couple months ago, but there will be many periods of just sitting and waiting for the next couple years during which coming up with a topic to make for a truly compelling blog entry will be difficult. These periods of relative boredom will sometimes be interrupted by moderately long-term flurries of paperwork. The amount of this stuff is supposed to be truly staggering. I predict that once we're in the thick of it, in comparison we'll liken our mortgage process to feel like one of those 4-page 6th-grade typed essays I used to do in 14-pt. double-space font. Narrow margins. Boy, let me just add - where would I be today without Cliffnotes as part of my educational history? Without that and my staggering yet fluffy vocabulary, filling up those lonely 4 pages would've been a task.
Anyhow, I'm going to try to check out some Ethiopian cooking over the next couple months, which in addition to helping me get to know their cuisine, will also hopefully get me out of a little cooking rut in which I've been lately. It will also help me eat more, which is something I don't do enough of. Anyhow a few month ago, Trina and I went to a pretty good Ethiopian restaurant in Central Square called Asmara (http://www.asmararestaurantboston.com). Trina wasn't crazy about the honey wine, but I happily finished her glass. (I know I'm setting myself up here, but I'm always interested in becoming a better booze connoseur. But in a more refined and inquisitive way, perhaps, than when I was in college.) I think the most popular Ethiopian restaurant in Boston is Addis Red Sea in the South End (http://www.addisredsea.com). If anyone has any restaurant recommendations or recipes they want to toss my way, the door's open!
Anyhow, I'm going to try to check out some Ethiopian cooking over the next couple months, which in addition to helping me get to know their cuisine, will also hopefully get me out of a little cooking rut in which I've been lately. It will also help me eat more, which is something I don't do enough of. Anyhow a few month ago, Trina and I went to a pretty good Ethiopian restaurant in Central Square called Asmara (http://www.asmararestaurantboston.com). Trina wasn't crazy about the honey wine, but I happily finished her glass. (I know I'm setting myself up here, but I'm always interested in becoming a better booze connoseur. But in a more refined and inquisitive way, perhaps, than when I was in college.) I think the most popular Ethiopian restaurant in Boston is Addis Red Sea in the South End (http://www.addisredsea.com). If anyone has any restaurant recommendations or recipes they want to toss my way, the door's open!
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Application? Check!
We did it! Today we completed Step 2 of our adoption process and our application has been sent off!
Right now, the whole thing still feels a bit surreal. I'm trying to think of momentous words to use to mark the occasion and am falling way short. Perhaps it's because it doesn't feel real yet. I sense it won't really feel real until we have a child safely in our arms.
When I hiked my way up out the Grand Canyon a few years back, I recall looking up and thinking, "Damn, that's a long way up." I measured the day by turns in the path, one foot plodding in front of the other, pushing the panicked "Will I get up there in time?" thoughts to the side, as I shoved way too many Power Bars into my mouth. (I was on the Green Tortoise bus headed east and it was leaving that night, thus the panic.) Much later that day, a couple of hours from the top, I was so wiped, that making it to the top in time seemed less and less likely. Luckily, a fellow from India who'd only hiked a couple of hours from the top and was on his way back up stopped and asked if I needed help. "Oh, no, I'm fine," I valiantly lied. (Why do we say such things??) He looked at me with an amused smile in his eyes and said, "No, actually, you're not fine. Give me your pack." I made some lame arguments and he kindly but firmly insisted that he help me. He took over my pack (how amazing it felt to have that weight off!) and told me stories of his childhood in India as we scaled the last two or so hours of the trail together. At the top, I looked at him with embarrassed gratitude. He handed me my pack and kindly winked and said, "Have a great life!" Then he turned away, and walked off in a very Highway to Heaven mysterious way.
The point to this rambling story was that my faith in humanity was permanently altered that day. Just when I thought I couldn't make it, someone literally helped carry a great weight. (I know...this metaphor is really working, isn't it??) We've had so many people there for us already in some pretty dark times, and I know that we won't be on this new trail alone, so thanks joining us on our blog!
Okay, metaphor over. Metaphors are cool, but they can sometimes get syrupy and annoying, and I think I've hit the cusp.
Right now, the whole thing still feels a bit surreal. I'm trying to think of momentous words to use to mark the occasion and am falling way short. Perhaps it's because it doesn't feel real yet. I sense it won't really feel real until we have a child safely in our arms.
When I hiked my way up out the Grand Canyon a few years back, I recall looking up and thinking, "Damn, that's a long way up." I measured the day by turns in the path, one foot plodding in front of the other, pushing the panicked "Will I get up there in time?" thoughts to the side, as I shoved way too many Power Bars into my mouth. (I was on the Green Tortoise bus headed east and it was leaving that night, thus the panic.) Much later that day, a couple of hours from the top, I was so wiped, that making it to the top in time seemed less and less likely. Luckily, a fellow from India who'd only hiked a couple of hours from the top and was on his way back up stopped and asked if I needed help. "Oh, no, I'm fine," I valiantly lied. (Why do we say such things??) He looked at me with an amused smile in his eyes and said, "No, actually, you're not fine. Give me your pack." I made some lame arguments and he kindly but firmly insisted that he help me. He took over my pack (how amazing it felt to have that weight off!) and told me stories of his childhood in India as we scaled the last two or so hours of the trail together. At the top, I looked at him with embarrassed gratitude. He handed me my pack and kindly winked and said, "Have a great life!" Then he turned away, and walked off in a very Highway to Heaven mysterious way.
The point to this rambling story was that my faith in humanity was permanently altered that day. Just when I thought I couldn't make it, someone literally helped carry a great weight. (I know...this metaphor is really working, isn't it??) We've had so many people there for us already in some pretty dark times, and I know that we won't be on this new trail alone, so thanks joining us on our blog!
Okay, metaphor over. Metaphors are cool, but they can sometimes get syrupy and annoying, and I think I've hit the cusp.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Update
Hi everyone! The last few months have had a few stops and starts, but we're sending in our official application to WHFC this week. We're both really excited along with our families. A few fans at my gigs (here's my latest project - www.thetwotimers.com - shameless plug) ask me regularly about how our adoption is going, which is really cool.
I can't wait to get our application in - I think it'll give us a lot of momentum. Very excited!
I can't wait to get our application in - I think it'll give us a lot of momentum. Very excited!
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