Trip to the Beach

We went to the Oregon coast for a 3-day getaway with my mom and her boyfriend. We were hoping my sister & hubby could come to, but it didn’t work out for them to come. It was a l-o-n-g drive from here to Manzanita, OR… 6 long hours in the car. I think that is the thing I hate most about going someplace. I wish I could be like our dogs and just crash in the back seat and sleep the trip away. Or even if I could read or do a craft of something… but I have horrible motion sickness and every time I’ve tried that I’ve ended up regretting it! We rented a house on the beach. We found one that was dog-friendly so I was a little worried about how clean it would be… but it was great. It was clean & homey. It had huge windows that looked out over the ocean and a big deck. The weather was beautiful and sunny. It was a little cool, but I expected that so brought lots of warm clothes. On Saturday my mom & jim went to play golf and Don and I rented 3-wheeled fun cycles and rode around on the beach. It was a good workout! Especially trying to maneuver these things with a dog on a leash. Saturday afternoon I just sat in a cozy chair and enjoyed watching the waves roll in. It was sooo relaxing! The trip went far too fast! And then the l-o-n-g drive home L But it was worth it, I had a wonderful time! It was fun to watch the kids on the beach building sandcastles & playing in the sand & just have a good time. I can’t wait until we can share that with our daughter. We will definitely be planning another trip next spring and hopefully my sis & her hubby will be able to come. I think it would be fun to plan an annual family trip to the beach.

Good News from USCIS

We have been told for the last 6 months or so from our adoption agency that when our petition for adoptions through USCIS (United States Citizen & Immigration Services) expires (2/09) and we haven't finalized our adoption (we more than likely won't have), that we'll have to apply through a new process and new form. This was going to cost more money in homestudies, background clearances, physicals & 10 hours of additional parenting training. But the adoption community banded together and started a petition to allow all of us who started are adoption process before the rules changed (in April 2008) to be 'grandfathered' in under the old rules. I signed the petition and e-mailed our state senator & congressmen. And WOW, it really works. USCIS announced today that all parents who started there adoption before April 2008 (we started ours in January 2006) to be grandfathered in under the old rules. What great news for so many parents that have been waiting and waiting and waiting. Having to renew immigration paperwork several times before our adoptions are finalized. This is what America is all about. Speaking out and making change! Thanks to everyone who was behind this effort. Now we can proceed with our adoptions without having to redo a lot of work we've already done.

Final Camping trip of the summer

What a fun trip we had to Lake Mayfield last weekend, four fun-filled days. The weather was beautiful and it was so relaxing. Only a couple minor glitches... Our little Beagle, Faith, got a bladder infection on the second day we were there so she had to pee all the time.. even in the middle of the night. I guess it is good training for getting up with a baby :) But, fortunately with a baby I wouldn't have to take her outside in the pitch black up in the mountains where who knows what kind of wild beasts were lurking in the shadows!! I know what imagination I have. BUT... we were attacked by a wild beast on our last night there! We were all (me, Don, Grandma & Grandpa Staggs, Jake & Faith & Brandy) were taking a walk about 9 pm. We saw a heard of deer off in the distance and we were trying to see them.... When all of the sudden a rabid cat jumped in front of us and it was hissing and screaming and then it jumped on poor little Faith. I was holding Faith's leash and I started pulling to get her away from that crazy cat. It finally let go and ran off with Don chasing it. Poor Faith cried for what seeme like 5 minutes after the cat ran off. She is such a little princess and she was so scared. I took her back to the trailer and cleaned up her ear where it bit her or scratched her or something. I think she was glad when we got home... it wasn't one of her favorite trips. On the other hand.. Jake had the time of his life. although he has fun no matter what he does. He loves the water and got to swim in the lake for hours on Saturday. He looks so funny when he is wet.

When we got home we got the news about referrals for October. CCAI made referrals up to 2/16/08. Another 7 days, not too shabby. I can see the end of this tunnel. Don't want to get too excited yet, alot can still happen. There were rumors that this tainted milk incident my affect referrals. My heart has been so saddened by the formula that the babies were being fed in China that was tainted with that Melamine. How can a company make something that would poison babies! I just don't understand the way people think. I pray for all the babies in China and that have been adopted that may have been exposed to this milk... that God protects them from any ill affects. Our adoption agency is contacting the Orphanages they work with to find out who used this formula so they can warn potential parents who adopt from there to have their babies tested. It is scary not to know if our baby has been born yet and may be exposed to this formula. I just pray she hasn't been born or at least wasn't given any of that formula.

October is going to be a busy month. Going to Seattle to visit my wonderful Grandma Marybelle this weekend and the 18-20th we are going to the OR beach with my mom & her boyfriend. That will be so much fun. And we have lots of stuff to wrap up around our property before winter. Don is finishing our sidewalk this weekend and hopefully finish our fence this month. Then we will start on finishing the nursery. So it will be all ready for our little China Angel!