Ladybug Sighting

Last Wednesday, August 23, our cat had escaped the house. Knowing he hides during the day and comes home for food at night, I left the back door open for him to come in. After 15 minutes, and LOTS of moths later, I closed it. Dh was standing by the lights and saw something red flying around. I guess it was around 9:30pm. It landed on a light and it was a LADYBUG! Our first REAL Ladybug sighting. :)

2 days later (thinking the cat who did finally come home) had gotten all the moths (and that little ladybug) I saw a speck of red on my oldest son's door while I was cleaning. Upstairs and opposite corner of the house from original location, but I'm guessing it was the same one.

Hmmm....since we're considering special needs, want less than 12 months...could she have been born on August 23rd? That would put her roughly the correct age for a spring waiting child list! :) What a wonderful dream.

Ah...dossier is at CCAA

and I've sat here for 2 days, relaxing with nothing to stress about with the dossier. I noticed the house. Hmmm...I think I neglected the housework in order to get certain things done! LOL

I currently have a Mount St. Foldme waiting for me. The kitchen is in decent shape, the boys rooms are...well...kids rooms. The main living areas are okay. OMG when did the stairs get so many stains on them? LOL I've been busy, and I'm now attacking the housework. I was feeling pretty good until I walked outside and noticed the flowerbed. I've not had to "stalk the mailman" lately, so no weeding has been done. Coupled with some rain...and it's now affectionately named "weed bed" by Dh.

I want to post photos, but Dh is having a fit since this isn't password protected and we don't know you....tried to explain it was okay. I took the kids out this weekend to play, bought them Pirate costumes, and we had a blast together. I took photos of them, the kids played Pirate. When we got in the car I heard, "That was so much fun Mom! Can we do it again?"

Now, to start thinking about Christmas card photos and designs for cards. :D

DTC today!!!!!

Henceforth and forevermore August 18, 2006 will be known as "Dossier to China for Katie" day! :D

I have fed ex tracking number....dossier has been picked up from the agency.

done with paperchasing. done done done (well until it's time to renew something)

Dossier to Agency!!!!

It's going tonight (well in a little over an hour when UPS picks it up...)

Why UPS and not Fed EX? Fed Ex would only insure documents for $100. ummm..NOPE. That dossier would take close to $2000 to re-do rushed services. I insured it for $2000 with UPS. $50+ to get it to our agency tomorrow insured for that amount...yeah...fun stuff.

so...anyone wanna watch the skies with me tonight? Please, no UPS plane crashes. Please no UPS truck crashes...let me documents get to the agency okay.

On a hot, humid, sunny day....

it arrived! Mail even ran EARLY. :)

We have our 171h form (well 797). It is now "copied" and "notarized copy of an original"

Monday = county certification day

phew!!!!! here's hoping we're DTC by August 18

10.5 weeks and still waiting

For a process that started in November 2005, this paperchase has been the pits. I knew it could take longer than 4-6 months we were "quoted" but 9 months? When as our family coordinator said, "You are one of my most proactive families."

10.5 weesks so far for USCIS to get us the 171h form. Yes, it "bad word here" that we are still waiting when people that were "behind" us in line have their form. I do know that our application was processed and approved on Tuesday (thanks to calls to USCIS we know this much). But we are just waiting for the mail to get it to us. I thought, since someone from my area had one processed last Tuesday and got it Friday that today would be the day. But no. We were told it could take up to 14 days to get it us. GAK...that's a LOONG time still. So...we wait. Hopefully tomorrow.