The escapades of Snickers

Warning - icky basset antics ahead

Bill is teaching his electrical apprencticeship class tonight so my mom and I are on Stooges (as in our 3 bassets) duty. I took the dogs out when I got home. We use our side door to come in from the driveway but take the dogs out the front door. I didn't realize that an animal had gotten into our trash and spread things around until it was too late. Snickers got a sandwich size plastic bag that had a chicken bone in it. Whatever animal visited had ripped open the bag but it was relatively intact.

Normally pleasant easygoing Snickers wouldn't let me have the bag. I managed to get the bone and kick it away but I couldn't get the bag out of her mouth and was struggling with the other two on leashes who were trying to sniff the trash that was on the lawn. So I dragged them inside as quick as I could so that I could drop the leashes and go at Snick but of course, she ate the entire bag before I was able to get it from her.

Our vet is away so I called the person who was going to be on call and that vet was still open. They told me I could feed her bread which would help her pass the bag in a few days and in the meantime she would be sick and we'd have to watch her to make sure she was eating and everything because if not it could indicate a stuck bag and surgery needed. My second option was to induce vomiting with hydrogen peroxide. I chose option two so I ran out to buy some and then used a turkey baster to get it down her throat. Luckily she'll barf if she eats a few blades of grass so sure enough she started to get sick. The bag came up as well as the cork from a bottle of wine my family had brought over when they visited last weekend.

This is the first time I have ever had to induce vomiting on my dog! Perhaps she was trying to make sure I am as prepared as I can be for the messy side of parenthood.

Elizabeth

The Count Down Continues..from Bill

Here I sit in the very early hours of Monday Sept. 29th, next week Elizabeth and Ellen get to fly over and finally get to see Aidai again, and, Thank God, bring her home. It seems like we've been dealing with nothing but hoping time would pass for months now, and here we finally are, only days away. For those of you who have been keeping up to date with the drama which is our lives, you all know we've been doing a lot more than sitting around and watching the second hand click by ever so slowly. Elizabeth has been very gracious in mentioning the few things that I've been doing, but the reality is Elizabeth has been a work horse, and Ellen's got her hours in as well. Mostly I've been they guy who faithfully waits for my orders, and get to do the little things that help the bigger things get done easier. Elizabeth's steering this ship, and she's been a hell of a captain. I miss my daughter, and will be very glad to have her home. The process already has changed my life so much, and I can't wait to see how it's going to continue to change. I know all of the joys of parenthood, and I'm glad that my wife will soon know them as well, and I feel so privileged to be able to share that with her. There's so much emotion and anticipation surrounding us right now, not being that much of a word smith makes it a little hard to explain to my friends and family exactly how I'm feeling, just understand that I'm quite fine, very excellent in fact! I don't always feel like talking about it, however, and I hope that just 'cause I'm not too chatty, doesn't mean I'm not well. I'm just pretty focused on things right now. Once again, thank you all for your support!

Bill

A few more things done

I like to post when things get done, it makes me feel that we are actually accomplishing things!

Bill has been working very hard on building the hearth for the pellet stove. His knees and back are sore but he's just about done and it looks great. Next is installing it.

We went to Sam's today and bought food to have around the house for her. That is a pretty exciting step!

The other day I packed all her clothes with space bags and put them in with her toys and pullups and such. The bag doesn't have much room left for me but I think I'll be able to steal some space in my mom's bag and one of the donation bags.

BA said they won't charge me for the collapsible stroller so that is good news! I didn't want to pay an extra baggage fee for a $20 umbrella stroller. I also found out that I can carryon bring on an additional 51lb bag on top of my "personal item". I don't know if I want to deal with one but I might so that I can put an extra change of clothes and other stuff in there and not have to haul everything on my back in the backpack.

Bill is going to get more paperwork notarized this week. I made copies of our passports and visas to take and also to leave here in case anything happens.

KTA is mailing us a letter to tell the airline we are brining humanitarian aid just in case I go a pound or two over or they try to charge for the stroller or anything. They are also getting us a letter that we can give to HR so we can get Aidai on the insurance.

12 days to go!
Elizabeth

More swings and ice cream - trip one

We've got visas!!!

My Kaz visa and my mom's arrived back approved today! Wahooooooo! I am so proud of myself for saving over $300 by doing the visas myself!

I bought all sorts of awesome gifts for people today. They were really fun to buy and I hope they like them. I found alot of NH items like a NH calendar, NH shaped maple sugar candy, "granite" chocolate (we are the granite state), tea bags from a local person etc etc. I even bought things for our coordinator's dogs because we chatted alot about our pets!

Elizabeth

Swings and Ice Cream - trip one

17 Days Update

We are slowly making progress! I am hoping my Kaz visas come back approved the end of this week or early next week. They received them on Friday. We still have a few more things to notarize but overall I've made paperwork progress. I packed Aidai's things in my suitcase. The toys and pullups alone take up 1/3. I'll space bag her clothes and mine and hopefully they will fit.

I am working on purchasing the gifts I need for Kyrg. I thought I needed about 6 but some people have been told 12 so now I am really scrambling. I am going to try to get nice things for people. I was able to obtain some Lindt chocolate today. Money and luggage space/weight are very tight so I'm just not sure what I am going to do! My mom is heading out of town tomorrow and she is going to look around for me.

The park and catching bubbles - trip one

Kyrg Quilt and Aidai Pics

Aidai at the playground - trip one

Pictures of Aidai from Trip One

These photos were taken on June 1st which is when they had the Children's Protection Day festival. They put the ruffly dress on her for the presentation.

We've got shoes!

We have shoes!!!! On trip one we were asked by Tatiana, the orphanage director, to bring back shoes for the kids. I contacted Stride Rite who have been making great shoes for years. I'll admit, I've never bought anything at a Stride Rite store because I don't have a kid but when Aidai gets home I bet she will have to wear their shoes because her feet need the help. Stride Rite normally donates to one big organization but they decided to go ahead and send me some shoes. My contact asked what we needed and I said I didn't care if they were ugly, seconds, discontinued whatever as long as they would help the kids foot health.

Imagine my suprise when she wrote back that she had just sent me 50 pairs of sample shoes! I know what clothing samples are but wasn't sure how shoe makers make and use samples. When I received the boxes and opened them there were 50 pairs boxed with the tissue wrapping and everything, just like in the store. I can't get all the boxes over to Kyrg so we are going to take all the shoes out and space bag them and pray that they will fit in two big suitcases.

Orphanage Photos from Trip One

From Trip One - Day One with Aidai

It has been awhile since you all saw pictures of Aidai so I've decided to post more from trip one in the next few days.

A few items down, a million to go

I booked the tickets through Eldo today, he was great! We are going through London both ways and will be home on 10/24 at 6:25pm.

My mom and I completed all the visa paperwork and all of it is ready to be taken to the post office in the morning.

I scheduled our transportation for the way to the airport and rented the van for the way back.

Today Bill picked up my prescription for scabies cream and he got the POA's notarized.

The list of things to do!

The list of what I need to do seems to grow everyday!

I'm hoping to purchase plane tickets tomorrow. I am waiting to get a quote from Eldo with one last option. I have to say that Eldo has been wonderful about trying different options and being patient with me.

I need to send off for our visas but I am trying to wait until we get tickets. There is a possibility of flying into Almaty and driving to Bishkek but I don't think it is worth it for the savings I found. However, if we decide to go that route then we need a different visa. So hopefully tickets today and visas tomorrow.

I have to get crisp, clean bills for the trip.

I need to confirm with Hotel Kaz. I sent all the info but need to hear back that we are booked.

It would be nice to list and sell some more things on ebay before we go.

I'm thinking I need extra passport size photos. I only have one left for the Kyrg visa and I think having extras is a good idea.

Bill has to get POA's notarized and then I am going to get one copy of each form authenticated. I also need to make copies of his passport and visa stamp and I am going to have one set of those authenticated as well.

My mom and I need to make copies of all our identification and leave copies with Bill.

My mom and I need to start packing, we aren't sure what all we have space for in the bags.

Aidai's room needs some stuff to be better organized. We have to move all the clothes that she's to small for up to storage.

We both, my mom and I, need to call our credit card companies and let them know we will be traveling.

I'm looking for a place to rent a big old van to get everyone home from the airport. So far no luck in Keene. I know a place in Concord but that would be out of the way.

Janet & Tom are getting marrried the day after we get home so I need to figure out something to wear to the wedding. I'm thinking about getting a costume for Aidai to wear but I don't know what. Tigger would be cute but it is pricey for him!

Our health insurance hasn't added Aidai yet. We need a letter from KTA to send them. I hope to get the letter this week.

Bill is going to pick up the lovely scabies cream at Walgreens for me. I definitely do not want to contract those little bugs!

I want to finish my will. I'm not planning on dying anytime soon but I would feel better if it was in place.

The dogs need a trip to the vet to get their nails clipped and they all desperately need baths.

My car is begging for an oil change, I better do that this week.

I'm sure there are other things that I am forgetting!
Elizabeth

The judge signed!!

The rumor is that the judge has signed off on our paperwork and Aidai is now ours! My agency said we are on schedule for leaving 10/10.

Can I just say that having a little more than 3 weeks left somehow seems alot scarier than having a month left! 3 weeks is like no time at all!

I better get busy!

Gifts from friends

Throughout this journey Bill and I have been overwhelmed by the love and support that has been shown to us. In countless ways people have step forward and helped us out. From the anonymous donors at the yardsale, friends and coworkers that donated stuff and money, to the shoulders we both cry on and can't wait to tell the latest news, we have been completely amazed by just how much support we have.

Last week I received a very special gift from my friend Hilary. Aidai holds a special place in Hilary's heart, she is one of Hilary's "girls" since they met over a year ago. I posted at some point on here that I collect keychains. Well, I have a new favorite. Hilary got me this personalized, engraved keychain. The top two little hearts say Faith and Hope and the bottom little heart says Love. The big heart is a locket and says Aidai on the front. On the inside it reads "The greatest of these is love" and has a picture of Aidai.

I tell you what, I bawled my eyes out when I unexpectedly received this. For someone who has already given me, and so many others, so many "gifts".... well, it really is just amazing beyond words.

Yardsale Update

Our yardsale was yesterday! We were worried about the weather, it was supposed to be a bit cold, cloudy and posisbly rainy. Instead it was pretty much bright and sunny the whole day! The clouds came a few times, which were very welcomed, but no rain. We had a poster up about Aidai and our adoption of her. Next to the poster we had a donation box. It was busy pretty much all day. We didn't sell all of our big ticket items, we are going to put them on Craigslist and hopefully will make about $200 that way. The yard sale took in $340 and $136 of that was donations! People were just soooo kind. We moved a ton of stuff out of the house, most things were sold for $1 or less so we got alot gone. We also met alot of new people and one person said maybe her Boy Scout Den will do a fundraiser for us!

Thank you to everyone who donated items to our yard sale and to our local friends who stopped by and gave us a very generous doantion.



Elizabeth and Bill

Pray For Houston & Galveston Please

Hi All,

I spent the first 19 years of my life in the Houston area. They are about to get walloped by Ike and my mom and I are worried about how bad it is going to be. We've both seen the results of tropical storms and hurricanes that have hit the area in the past and its not pretty. Please send prayers/hugs/good thoughts/juju for safety of all the people/animals/property in the path of Ike.

All you Houston area readers, please stay safe.

Thank you!
Elizabeth

Our Adoption Gift Registry

I have finally finished our version of a baby registry! People keep asking me but I just hadn't gotten it done. We aren't having a baby shower so I didn't have a deadline to work with but we are getting pretty close to Gotcha so now is the time!

When we got married we registered for our honeymoon because we felt that people helping us by purchasing memories (like feeding a wild monkey) was much better than ending up with fine china we would never use and towels that we'd use to dry off the dogs. So back then we registered at www.thebigday.com and it was a huge hit! Soooo many people said that they wished they had done the same thing. This time around we were able to get almost everything we need 2nd hand from thrifts, yard sales and of course, friends and family. Therefore, we don't really need much for Aidai other than to go get her and bring her home. So we are virtually registering for all the things we have to have to get her home!

You can view our registry at http://www.ourwishingwell.com/registries/view/47791994

Some might think it is weird or tacky but I think I am rather clever! =)

Elizabeth

Never Forget

The title says it all.

Lack of communication

No phone call on whether or not the judge has/will sign off on our cases. I know that "the middle woman", as I call her, told my agency people to tell me not to worry because basically no news is good news and they would have heard if something was wrong but I'm just not buying that because, how can I say this nicely, "fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me"...

So I expressed my...displeasure...at not knowing what was happening and my lovely agency (not being sarcastic, I like KTA) is checking into it for me.

I know maybe I don't need to worry and I don't need to be this anxious and I should probably just go with the flow but... it's my daughter we are talking about people!!

I'm going to go have an ice cream pity party and tomorrow when I wake I am sure everything will be put into much better perspective.

Elizabeth

I just want to call her MINE

It is 2 AM eastern time on Wednesday September 10th. Today marks the end of the 30-day after court wait. I have no clue why I am awake considering I am so tired. I think it is because I am very very axious about what the morning may bring. I just want to know that she is MINE. I won't feel totally comfortable until she is home but I atleast want to know that the judge signed off. I am slightly terrified that he will have gone on vacation, again, or that there will be some other problem. I haven't sent away for the Kaz visas and haven't paid for the tickets because we want to make sure our dates are pretty secure. They can always change but after the sign-off I will feel much better.

I'm not sure if they sign on the 30 days or just sometime there after. It is already noon on Wednesday over there. It would be interesting if he signed on Thursday. You see, Thursday is 9/11 and 7 years ago I was working in Soho and living in Brooklyn. Needless to say, it was a day that changed my life. What a change my life has taken since then. In 7 years I have changed jobs 4 times, graduated college, gotten married, bought a house, become a stepmom, moved to a new state and had a whole bunch of other firsts. In a way it would make it hard to have this new positive memory on a day of so much pain but in another way it would add something exciting to a day I don't look forward to.

As I asked Maria today, Will I finally believe she is actually coming home when she is here?

Elizabeth

Greeting Card

I had a very exciting trip to Target yesterday! I was looking in the card section and stumbled on a card that had its purpose listed as "waiting for a child"! It was a very sweet card with a yellow flower and said something like "We know the wait is hard for all your wishes to come true, know that we are wishing and hoping right along with you" (I may not have that exactly right). So I was going to buy it for Maria since she is waiting and I have her address but I thought that was kind of cheesy because, duh, of course I'm wishing and hoping along with her, we are going together! I just wanted to mention it because people out there might have a use for a card like that at some point and plus I thought it was cool that adoption has made the card section!

31 Days...not that I'm counting...

Elizabeth

Yard Sale Update

Okay all you local folks! Our yard sale is less than a week away. If you have anything to donate please let us know and we will come get things from you!! We will take whatever you have to donate.

I've been trying to get things done for the trip, here is the update on that front:

I made myself a will, living will, medical and financial POAs

I ordered pictures of Bill and Aidai to prove he met her

Bill got our "Sassy Signs" plastic yard sale signs out of the attic

I sent pictures of Aidai's feet to the IA doctor and a local orthopedic doctor to try and get an appointment set up for her

I've sorted many, many items for the yardsale

Bill hung curtains in Aidai's room

Update on stuff

We got some awesome things donated for our yardsale yesterday. We got a set of snow tires with less than 1,000 miles on them, a foosball table and a great copier/printer. One of our adoption friends is sending us a box of things from half way across the country! Doesn't that just ooze love and support!

I also need to publicly thank Hilary, Mala and Maria who are three people that regularly listen to all my drama =)

An update on my lovely list from the last post:

I paid 2 bills
Bought a light switch extender
My dossier copy is together

It wasn't on the list but I also registered us online at the embassies over there. They like you to do that so they can find you in case of emergencies like war/natural disasters/threats etc etc

I also printed out some big pictures of Aidai for our yard sale, we want to pull on those heart strings =)

Oh and I applied for an adoption grant. We don't qualify for any of them but this one didn't list any eligibility things. It is a long shot but worth filling out the application.

I'm hoping to finish our adoption registry this weekend as well as list more things on ebay and sort yard sale things.

The List

Now that we are in the 30's I am FREAKING OUT over everything we need to get done.

Here is a list of things:
-clean all the mail/etc off the "favorite place to drop all my crap when I come in the door" table
-pay bills
-buy a light switch extender so she can turn on the lights
-order Kaz visas
-pack for the trip
-finish our online adoption gift registry
-buy airline tickets (right now they are on hold)
-buy travel insurance
-get my dossier copy together
-collect latest employment letters/pay stubs/3 yrs of taxes
-finish sorting for the yard sale
-print pictures of Aidai and Bill to prove he met her
-copy of Bill's passport/visa from trip 1
-create a donation box for the yard sale
-keep listing on ebay

Bill has a list of house things to do:
-install new smoke detectors
-build hearth and install pellet stove
-obtain 4 tons of pellets
-hang curtains
-move items up to 3rd floor storage
-get tables for yardsale
-get power of attorney notarized
-schedule plumber to fix break in heating pipe

In the 30's

39 days until I leave for Kyrgyzstan!