Counting down the days. Am I stressed? Does a whale have humps? Does a bird swim? Does a turtle eat lamb? See I'm so stressed i can't even get my analogies right!
I'm trying the hardest i can to slow it down and concentrate on the MUST DO TODAY items and push til tomorrow any non essentials But trust me, this is easier said than done. I have to finish the kids bathroom, so i can finally organize and store all the items spread far and wide between the kitchen and dining room and get them back where they belong! The kids have their dance recital in December and costumes have to purchased, dance shoes have to be ordered, hair appts have to be scheduled, make up has to be applied, dress rehearsals have to be attended. And WHO, will do this for me? yeah... that's right... No One I Know... I'm trying to build a mom brigade who can step in and help out. Of course their all busy getting their own kids' ready for the dance recital but if i beg maybe i can get them to each take on one small task.
Well no time to whine and lament. have to run off and buy more tile so we can finish the closet in the kids' bathroom. then rush back and get things ready for Halloween. I know i have to get a better system in place considering i just got an email from Emma's teacher. She was supposed to have turned in a project today. umm okay? what project was that? Hadn't i gotten the information TWO weeks ago? or the reminder email last week? ummm probably. but the real question is.. did i read it and just immediately blanked it out!!! Ahhh Mommy Brain on Crack!
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Hot Diggity Dog
Last Friday i was CRUSHED. I had not gotten the expected Article 5 Notice. I called Steve at the agency, and he told me "well it had been taking 3 weeks, but now it's looking more like 4 weeks" well where does that put me in terms of travel? "looks like the 2nd December group, the one leaving December 13".
in China by December 13. to be exact, in Dylan's province ON December 13th. That would mean missing the kids dance recital, missing the lead up to it, (extra rehearsals, hair appts, make up application, picture day, dress rehearsals) who would do all of that with the kids? I'd also be gone for Christmas. Something i didn't think would bother me. Turns out it did bother me. Add to this the slight warning Steve issued, "during the holidays, it's not always easy to get appts, and appts made with the US Consulate, can sometimes be changed.) So I'd risk being in China longer than expected. Given ANY other month, this would be pretty cool. But December is also high season so the flights, hotels, etc are at a premium. I was crushed. this was the worst news i could get (yeah there are far more worserere things, but on Friday THIS was the WORST).
Discussions with Jeff pursued. I told him i could not be in the December 13th group. (he wanted me to travel in 2013 so we'd get the tax credit. screw the money i yelled!!) I was not willing to miss the kids dance recital and spending Christmas with them. That would mean I'd be leaving early January instead. But, that would also mean Dylan would spend a whole extra month, alone, without her family, without us. Peering into the future, i saw myself sad and miserable on Christmas Day. Dylan should be with us. She should be home with her family. This is all wrong. Talk about your Sophie's Choice. Abandon my two kids to bring Dylan home, or neglect Dylan to be home with David and Emma. Both scenarios miserable. a no win either way.
well, today Tuesday, i got an email saying i got my Article 5 Notice! yippity dippity dawg!!!! I rushed to tell Todd Travel Guy and of course he blew my bubble by warning, "you haven't gotten TA yet, let's wait til you get that before booking any flights. TA's could take 2 to 4 weeks"
okay so today i tell myself BREATHE... just breathe. please breathe. I'm sure I'm experiencing mild panic attacks. I've been an unbearable beast at home to all. I am not a pleasant person when I'm stressed. and I'm oh so stressed.
Dylan needs to be home with us now. I just want her home so we can begin the business of being a family!
in China by December 13. to be exact, in Dylan's province ON December 13th. That would mean missing the kids dance recital, missing the lead up to it, (extra rehearsals, hair appts, make up application, picture day, dress rehearsals) who would do all of that with the kids? I'd also be gone for Christmas. Something i didn't think would bother me. Turns out it did bother me. Add to this the slight warning Steve issued, "during the holidays, it's not always easy to get appts, and appts made with the US Consulate, can sometimes be changed.) So I'd risk being in China longer than expected. Given ANY other month, this would be pretty cool. But December is also high season so the flights, hotels, etc are at a premium. I was crushed. this was the worst news i could get (yeah there are far more worserere things, but on Friday THIS was the WORST).
Discussions with Jeff pursued. I told him i could not be in the December 13th group. (he wanted me to travel in 2013 so we'd get the tax credit. screw the money i yelled!!) I was not willing to miss the kids dance recital and spending Christmas with them. That would mean I'd be leaving early January instead. But, that would also mean Dylan would spend a whole extra month, alone, without her family, without us. Peering into the future, i saw myself sad and miserable on Christmas Day. Dylan should be with us. She should be home with her family. This is all wrong. Talk about your Sophie's Choice. Abandon my two kids to bring Dylan home, or neglect Dylan to be home with David and Emma. Both scenarios miserable. a no win either way.
well, today Tuesday, i got an email saying i got my Article 5 Notice! yippity dippity dawg!!!! I rushed to tell Todd Travel Guy and of course he blew my bubble by warning, "you haven't gotten TA yet, let's wait til you get that before booking any flights. TA's could take 2 to 4 weeks"
okay so today i tell myself BREATHE... just breathe. please breathe. I'm sure I'm experiencing mild panic attacks. I've been an unbearable beast at home to all. I am not a pleasant person when I'm stressed. and I'm oh so stressed.
Dylan needs to be home with us now. I just want her home so we can begin the business of being a family!
Friday, October 25, 2013
The Frustrated Flyer
Found out today that my Article 5 Notice was not issued this week! This is the last US based document before i can get my Travel Approval from China. It had been averaging 3 weeks, but I was just told it's taking 4 weeks now. The agency assured me that the TA is still coming in at 2 weeks and even earlier.... so to not lose hope.
Any other month i wouldn't care one way or another BUT December is the kids dance recital and i REALLY don't want to miss that. So far, I've missed out on the November travel date, there's a possibility now that i might not make the December 6th travel date which leaves the December 13th travel group. If it's the last one i would be gone the whole week before the recital and miss the kids performance. I'd rather delay travel to January if that's the case! But Jeff really wants me to travel in December so we can get that adoption tax credit for this year. Priorities. Little does he know i could care less about that!
So, in one scenario, i miss the kids' performance BUT I bring Dylan home in time for Christmas. On the other hand, i delay travel to January (damn it will be FREEZING in China!) i don't miss my wedding anniversary or the recital, but Dylan spends another few weeks without her family. and that stupid tax thing. Oh yeah, the flight costs drop significantly in January over December.. so maybe it won't be that bad
Honestly, i really don't know what to do. (sad face)
Any other month i wouldn't care one way or another BUT December is the kids dance recital and i REALLY don't want to miss that. So far, I've missed out on the November travel date, there's a possibility now that i might not make the December 6th travel date which leaves the December 13th travel group. If it's the last one i would be gone the whole week before the recital and miss the kids performance. I'd rather delay travel to January if that's the case! But Jeff really wants me to travel in December so we can get that adoption tax credit for this year. Priorities. Little does he know i could care less about that!
So, in one scenario, i miss the kids' performance BUT I bring Dylan home in time for Christmas. On the other hand, i delay travel to January (damn it will be FREEZING in China!) i don't miss my wedding anniversary or the recital, but Dylan spends another few weeks without her family. and that stupid tax thing. Oh yeah, the flight costs drop significantly in January over December.. so maybe it won't be that bad
Honestly, i really don't know what to do. (sad face)
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
what's in a middle name, anyway?
Question:
Dylan's Chinese name is Zhong An Na (Zhong is the last name) In keeping with tradition, we use the child's first name as their new middle name. So Dylan An Na Ashton would be her name. Problem is An Na, looks exactly like Anna. Which would mean I'd have to spend a lifetime saying no it's not Anna, it's Eh'na. So do i just go for Zhong instead? or add an apostrophe as in An'Na? Or just call it a day and pretend, yes, it is Anna!
Dylan's Chinese name is Zhong An Na (Zhong is the last name) In keeping with tradition, we use the child's first name as their new middle name. So Dylan An Na Ashton would be her name. Problem is An Na, looks exactly like Anna. Which would mean I'd have to spend a lifetime saying no it's not Anna, it's Eh'na. So do i just go for Zhong instead? or add an apostrophe as in An'Na? Or just call it a day and pretend, yes, it is Anna!
Lots of Zeros Equal.... ZERO!
Progress made today on Dylan's room. Zero
Progress made today on adoption paperwork. Zero
Progress made today on travel plans. Zero
Somebody better step up her came if she's going to be leaving in LESS THAN 6 WEEKS!!!!
Progress made today on adoption paperwork. Zero
Progress made today on travel plans. Zero
Somebody better step up her came if she's going to be leaving in LESS THAN 6 WEEKS!!!!
Monday, October 14, 2013
The Countdown
Holy Smokes! I just realized in LESS THAN 6 WEEKS! I'll be traveling to China to bring home our baby girl! SIX WEEKS! I'm so Not Ready! we had a contractor showdown and he won... he walked off the job! so now we've been scrambling to get the kids' bathroom done, so that we can finish the girls' bedroom, so that i can finally see just how much i have... or don't have for Dylan. Getting stressed just thinking about it. Breathe.... breathe... BREATH. no time for panicking!
This will be a whole new child experience for me too. which probably adds to the anxiety. So far I've escaped the poopy diapers, the formula, cleaning baby bottles, potty training adventure. Not anymore! How we went from requesting an OLDER child and being told, due to Jeff's age, we'd have to adopt an older child, to miraculously receiving a referral for a tiny 22 month peapod -- is beyond me! Add to that that Dylan's SN is cleft palate... basically a NON special need when you think about it. Are we lucky? are we fortunate? who knows! I'm just dying to bring her home!
This will be a whole new child experience for me too. which probably adds to the anxiety. So far I've escaped the poopy diapers, the formula, cleaning baby bottles, potty training adventure. Not anymore! How we went from requesting an OLDER child and being told, due to Jeff's age, we'd have to adopt an older child, to miraculously receiving a referral for a tiny 22 month peapod -- is beyond me! Add to that that Dylan's SN is cleft palate... basically a NON special need when you think about it. Are we lucky? are we fortunate? who knows! I'm just dying to bring her home!
Sunday, October 13, 2013
Presenting the Littlest Ashton: Dylan An Na!
Little 2 year old Dylan is waiting for us to bring her home! I will be traveling, hopefully this December, with my sister in law Judy to China and I can't wait to meet the sweetest, littlest babe in the world!
It's been a crazy year for us! Jeff winning the election. Me convincing him there was still room in our lives for one more child. Jeff, miraculously agreeing! We've had some big ups and some major downs on this journey. But this is Dylan's story! And I know we all can't wait to meet our littlest princess!
It's been a crazy year for us! Jeff winning the election. Me convincing him there was still room in our lives for one more child. Jeff, miraculously agreeing! We've had some big ups and some major downs on this journey. But this is Dylan's story! And I know we all can't wait to meet our littlest princess!
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