New pants!

Mwaahhahahahha

I got new pants and swim trunks today! I'm quite excited because at WALMART they were on sale for 16 bucks and the Swimmers for 15... that NEVER happens... as I like my pants bigger and generally get from the "big mens" section of the store... 16 bucks for pants! After I get paid on monday and pay out my bills I'm going to think about replacing my other 2 pairs of pants with nice new clean ones for 16 bucks! (okay people, generally these pants range in price from 22-25 depends on teh time of the year...)

And I got them one size smaller then normal and they STILL fit the way I like... I love it!

Why I hate clowns, and other musings of a tired mind

So that picture shows you the calander page of mine for the month of May. now the whole reason I got this calender (co-edikit, who I oddly have several amusing shirts from) was this month. I am DEATHLY afraid of clowns.. yes at 22 years old that is hard to state outloud. I suppose it's not so much a fear as it is a DEATHLY large distaste of them now. Why you may ask, would someone be afraid of innocent little clowns?... I'll tell you... Barnum and Baily Circus. My poor children will never go to a B&B Circus tour if I can help it! The clowns on large stilts... they just... scare me! And one walked right next to me, as we were near the front row, and I just freaked out... since then, whenever I have a particularly terrible nightmare, it somehow involves a clown. Yes, it's stupid, I can recieve psychological help for this, but the fact still remains that clowns and I don't mix, even to this day!

As for other musings...

My cousin is pregnant again. She just... ugh. Perhaps I'm starting to feel something for this whole "I'm never getting pregnant" attitude... or perhaps I just want to start a family so bad... but hearing that she is pregnant, while I'm happy for her, makes me want to strangle her at the same time. Now don't get me wrong. I have genuine love and happiness that she is expecting her second child. They have had a much harder time concieving this time than they did with Bella. (Bella was an opps a year before their wedding.) Regardless, I just... want to be her, and that's odd. Perhaps after I get the ball rolling on my adoption (someday) I won't have the feeling of wanting something inside of me... ew.

A crazy thing happened on our street today. About 5 doors down, on the other side of the street, some idiot crashed through a garage and kept going... the story is wild! This guy was drunk, waiting for a friend outside his house (not the guy, the friend... the friend is who lives on my street). He decided he had had enough waiting time and was oging to leave. He apparently slammed his car into reverse, spedo ut of the driveway, only the hit the car parked on the other side of the road (only one side in this neighborhood has built in driveways... most of us on my side park on the street). So apparently recognizing his boo-boo slams it into gear and TRIES AGAIN! Only the hit the same car in a different spot (in his defense... he did do better... instead of the drivers side door, he got the front side... almost there). Well realizing he was never going to back out, he slammed the car into gear and sped foreward... through his buddies garage (a wooden piece of poo) and kept going through the fence and onto the "grey" alleyway behind that row of houses (we have loads of alley ways round this end of town too!). What a flipping moron.. and it's not like we dont' know who it was... The guy who's car got hit twice was pissed. Mum and I came home from my grandmothers to find cop cars.. both going "oh shit!" cause we have had a string of breakins in the neighboorhood. Well, our neighbor came out and was like "ya'll missed it!" So he told us the story. We ended up going down to talk to the neighbors from that end of the street... met some cool people, and just watched as the cops sorted through the broken garage and the people who own the place kept looking out in "disgust" at us as we gawked (by us, I mean the whole street!). I think honestly they were embarassed... I would be too!

Hmmm... nothing else really.. oh I went to the dentist today.. it seems that all my good years of having great teeth has come to an end... after only ever having one cavity in my life, I am ashamed to say I am quite near double digits for cavaties now. The hygenist also said that I have a calcium problem in my gum line...something about the enamel wearing away due to not enough calcium in my diet sorta thing and it struck me as odd. I'm going to my doc about it because all my knee problems (sans the Bone Marrow Adema spot) are thought to be caused by calcium deficency. The thing is, I drink calcium fortified milk, atleast 24 oz a day, because I drink daycare milk... but my mum says I may have something that causes me not to absorb certain vitimins (we've noticed that despite the uptake in Vit. C and the likes (by suggestion of my doctor) that I am still getting sick as often as I was (which is almost weekly because of a lowered immune system)).

Regardless, my life is one big bit of boring, punctuated by the typical idiots!

Salut.

matrioshka nesting dolls

Anyone know a simple site to get a set of 5 dolls from? I want one set with 5 dolls (My family planning is me and 4 children... so 5 works, lol)

Any help would be great!

oi

Tomorrow I start teaching my four year olds to read (well, 3 of my guys from my class of 12, and 1 of D's guys from her class of 10) and I'm quite nervous. I'm going to pull them right after prayer time once D does songs or whatever.. but I KNOW that D is going to freak about going outside, so I may do like I did with the last of the cirriculum... teach them outside in the sun.. it's supposed to be 80 degrees tomorrow afternoon.

Regardless, from all you homeschooling mummsys, please enlighten me on how to teach a child to read. I bought the Dick adn Jane books simply because that's how I learned a bit to read.. but I'm dyslexic, so I honestly only read by memory and tricks.. nothing I do is phonic. I want to teach the kiddos right, but dammit, who the heck asks the dyslexic teacher to teach them to read? What sense does that make...

So we have been working heavily on phonics, we've been doing phonic games and doing phonics reads, but now it's the true test of my ability to someday be a teacher.. can I teach 4 children to read in 12 weeks... it should be interesting! (and luckily the four kids I pciked, well who really showed the most ability to do the phonics, have great parental help that I KNOW will step up and read with their kids the materials I plan out.)

My game plan at the moment is simply to copy the book I want them to read (when I say book, the Dickand Jane book I have has something like 21 stories and I plan to do a story a week to start out with and as they get better, I want to pump it up to two stories a week and so on. I know for a fact one little girl will blow past me. And as the weeks go on, I will take 4 more kiddos and start them in the bit to read, starting at week on.. but I have my little test group and it's making me nervous that I am responsible in their parents eyes to teach them... when in reality they are my test group! haha!

Seriously I'm rambling because I fear failing these kiddos and their parents. I have only been the fours teacher for a month, but in that month I feel that personally, I have made leaps and bounds in their education. I don't want to toot my own horn, but so many of hte parents have come to me, talked to me personally about their children's education.. and I've been doing plus reports for each kid going "damn... how the heck would they have been prepared for kindergarten"... but I dunno.. I'm nervous.

Anyway.. I'm sick of waiting for Jason to IM me, I suppose some things never change and he is still an ass. He's been back from idle for 20 mins, but he's yet ot reim me even though he "promised" he would. LAdies and Gents, this dear soul is EXACTLY why I swore off love and boyfriends... it sucks.

Regardless, I'm going to reread my schudle and plan for tomorrow and just pray I can teach these kiddos to read in 12 weeks!

~Hawk

Revival kids

(Last edit I promise.. I'm having to rework it since I have no Noah's Ark Video.. whee)
So tomorrow starts the Revival for the church my mum attends. Being liscensed daycare, I was offered 10 bucks an hours to teach 3 and 4 yr olds for 3-4 hours a night.. heckyeah I took it!

So this is my outline.. if anyone has any good ideas, I'm all open.

Monday, 6:30-9:30 (all times are rough.. it may end up being 6:30-11:00 depending on the outcome)

6:30-7:00
Music intro, welcome (Veggie tales CD from work I made)
7:00-7:30
Bible Story (Genesis 6:9-7:1 The story of the ark)
7:30-8:00
Workbook page (Page 12 trace the dots to form Noah's ark. on back, rainbow)
8:00-8:30
Craft (Noah's rainbow with Bible verses Genesis 9:8-17
8:30-9:00
Fruit snack (raw fruits only, probably do apples and oranges)
9:00-9:30
Game (we all be animals and someone be noah.. they have to find all the animals... a type of hide and seek)

Tuesday 6:30-9:30

6:30-7:00
Music intro, welcome (circle welcomes "can you remember my name?")
7:00-7:30
Bible Story John 6:1-15 (the fish and loaves story)
7:30-8:00
Woorkbook pg 77 & 78 (count the fish and loaves, colour by shape)
8:00-8:30
Stained glass coffee filters fish (hopefully, I'm trying it out with my kiddos at the daycare tomorrow)
8:30-9:00
Finish above craft
9:00-9:30
Game (follow the leader on proper behaviours in church)

Wednesday 6:30-9:30 (this day will probably last longer.. last night)

6:30-7:00
Music intro, welcome (veggie tales again)
7:00-7:30
Veggie tales (Shack, Rack, and Benny)
7:30-8:00
Bible Story (Daniel 3 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego)
8:00-8:30
Craft ( Craft to go with story)
8:30-9:00
Finish craft
9:00-9:30
Game (bunny song vs. new bunny song... how do I know if it's okay by God?)

Basically all times are felxible, all crafts and stories are moveable nd I have extra games and songs and videos incase we go later than 9:30/10:00.

(I am lead teacher, which I got against a much older, much more experienced teacher who is pissed about it... I find that amusing that the children's director would trust me more simply because of the class I teach.. I just don't want to let her down... and yes, this whole lesson plan was completed in an hour, as I learned that I had this position about 2 hours ago at the church dinner to welcome Pastor Rudd for the revival... dear goodness!)

Please light a candle

Dawn and Joe have been fighting for their son now, and court with the birth mother is tomorrow...

Please, if you have a moment, light a candle and say a prayer.

http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/candles.cfm?l=eng&gi=SJD

Their blog, which is private, is www.quest2kaz.blogspot.com

Thanks.

Teaching four year olds to read

My new task this summer is to teach 3 of my four year girls to read. Unfortunately I only have one boy in my class, and I doubt he will be reading ready by next week when we finish our standard cirriculum.

I am going to pull one of the 3 yr old boys to read... he is technically four but hasn't been promoted up because there is no room. I may pull a second 3 boy who is reading ready, I believe, but not able to write his letters.

I have all sorts of little free cirriculums online, but I'm going with the tried and true method of Dick and Jane. I think that will be the easiest, to just set down with them and read with them. I am so excited about this.

If anyone has any helpful hints, yay for helping me out!

My kiddos::

Abs is 4, almost 5 (July) and is very ready to read. I asked her why mop is spelt MOP and she actually knew... I was excited!! She is a firey blonde who just thinks everyone is hers... "DUH!" is her key phrase. She is a cutie who just is ready to learn. I am excited to teach her and I know her nannie will make sure she reads every night to her.

Han is extremely cute! She is another firey blonde who knows everything about phonics. Her mum works with her like a true schoolers mum would. I am excited to teach her because her mum is very interesting to be around. This is also the little girl who said I hit her in the head with a "baby buggy" (whatever that be)... so for that little thing I don't care much for her sometimes, but over all I am excited to teach her more and more.

Cor is my kiddo. Her and Abs are the first graduating class of my 2s from when I first started! It is bittersweet that they are graduating this year and that I have them for graduation.... I am sad to see them go but excited to show them how much they can learn. Cor turned 5 in Feb and she is just so ready to read. She can sound out simple phonic sounds, such as MOP and CAT. I hope she is receptive to learn what more I can teach her.

I am going to try to pull my two boys from the threes to learn, Na and Za. I know I want Na personally because I believe he has Aspergers Syndrome, which is a form of Autism. He is incrediablly smart, knows more about animals then you could ever DREAM of knowing. Za, just because I want to see if he pulls dyslexia like I feel he will (he is a leftie and has a lot of problems writing his name, let alone with flipping letters and such). I do know however, that I will personally tutor him if he is dyslexic, I am dyslexic and I know how to do the tricks, I know the frustration and the likes. I hope I can help him out if he turns out to be.

I may even pull one of my two's girls to come up and read... she has amazing memorization skills and already can read the names of all the people in our class... she is amazing, but I'm not going ot push her.. the 4 year olds I'm going to push a bit because they need to learn this skill.

Regardless, any tips of the trade for working with little kids on reading, I'll accept.

to all my christian friends

Does anyone know the song by jimmie Davis Called "the Three Nails"?

It starts otu with a poem about a soldier going to buy three nails and then when the shop keeper finds out what they are for, he begs to buy them back.. then it goes into the song.

My mum and I have spent about 4 horus searching for this song... we got down to it being by Jimmie Davis.. and tha'ts as far as we got...

i can't find anything else out about it.. thoguht it is on a CD elsewhere, we only heard the speaking part and for mum to really think it's the song, it has to be the signing part.

any help would be greatly appreciated!

thanks!

Hawk

Dress in Russia

I need some BTDT parents to help me out here.

I know Russian's idea of every day dress is much much higher than American's... Mainly the no jeans and Russian's look like super models... (Or so I've been told).

I have a conviction of newly found modesty in my dress... which sadly is turning into a lot more skirts and such...

So in the streets of Moscow, do you see women wearing skirts and dresses or is it simply dress pants?

Just kinda wondering what you see on the streets from my BTDT parents I know.

Thanks!

Hawk

Blessed Good Friday

May today be a blessed Good Friday for you all.

I am taking two little boys out today. The daycare is closed and many parents haven't a clue what to do with their kids, so i offered for these two families (both of which I babysit for as well). My coteach and I are taking them out starting at 10 am... we are doing chuck e cheese, book store, donut shop... then my mum wants me to swing by her work to parade them about. They are two well behaved wonderful children.

I am horribly tired adn still need to shower before picking everyone up... yes, I was designated chauffeur because the car I drive (mums) has 4 doors... but come to think of it so does the coteacher's.. but allswell.

Anyway, I'm off to shower and get ready for the day.

Have a blessed day.

a little bit pissed

I am not Islamic, I am RLDS, but I know much because of research I did. If you have any questions, want to know anything more, please feel free to ask me. I make it a point to know everything I can about every religion I can hear about. It makes it easier to stand in my faith without being ignorant or judgemental.

a blog i read has a very interesting pic of Pope John Paul II kissing a Quran (to which she even mispelled). What pisses me off is her comments about how Allah is a moon god, blah blah blah.. and some comments there about how Islam is NOT a peaceful religion.. and it makes me wonder if these people even know what they are talking about.

A few facts about Islam (and this is from a person who was very close to converting, but opted against it aftr 9-11 for chicken reasons (namely I didn't want to be singled out)).

There are 5 pillars to Islam:

Testimony of faith (Kalima)
Basically you can do this peacefully at home, with no witnesses but Allah. You sit down, state your intentions, state that there is no other higher power but Allah (who Christians' call God) and that Mohammad is his ony messenger (the Christian references is that Jesus is the Son of God, Mohammad is the Jesus of Islam, just not a son, a mere prophet)

Prayer (Salat)
"Seek Allah's help with patient perseverance and prayer. It is indeed hard except for those who are humble."
(2:45)

Formal prayers:
Fajr (pre-dawn): The before sunrise prayer that is done in rememberence of God.

Dhuhr (noon): A break in the work day to seek God and his guidence.

'Asr (afternoon): While trying to take care of the kids, wrap up the work day, this prayer is to stop a moment and just ask God for wisdom.

Maghrib (sunset): A closing of the day prayer, just to remember God.

'Isha (evening): a prayer to remember God's presence, guidance, mercy, and forgiveness.

Fasting (Sawm)

Raamadan is the month that is spent fasting during the day. THe point of the fast is much like Catholic LENT. It is time spent praying and honouring God. Not only is Raamandan for food fasting, but also it is a time to fast from unholy things and reevaluate your Islamic commitment.

Almsgiving (Zakat)
Charity giving. Basically it is like giving tithes in a Church, yet for the Islamic, it is more than that. They must give it to the poor, their income, their time. It is important to pay alms to those who cannot help themselves.

Pilgrimage (Hajj)
Here I am, Oh God, at Your command!
Here I am at Your command!
You are without associate!
Here I am at Your command!
To You are all praise, grace and dominion!
You are without associate!

A pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia is very important to complete the life, though it is not REQUIRED to enter heaven. It is important to remember the suffering of those around you, the walk Mohammad made to mecca. Many make it in their bare feet, much like it would have been done in Mohammad's time. It is said to bring one the closest spirtually with Allah because of the sacrifice made to ones body to make the trip.

Basically I just want people to understand Islam is about finding adn seeking God, not killing anyone. The link below is a link that shows how much more violence Christians have caused than Musleims. Does that make them worse or better? No. Simply put it is just a different way to worship.

http://www.islam101.com/terror/christianViolence.htm

And I leave you with words of Islamic Wisdom:

"It is not righteousness that you turn your faces towards East or West.
But it is righteousness to believe in Allah and the Last Day,
And the Angels, and the Book, and the Messengers;
To spend of your substance, out of love for Him,
For your kin, for orphans, for the needy,
for the wayfarer, for those who ask, and for the ransom of slaves;
To be steadfast in prayer
And give in charity;
To fulfill the contracts which you have made;
And to be firm and patient, in pain and adversity
And throughout all periods of panic.
Such are the people of truth, the God-fearing.
Qur'an 2:177

LMAO!

I am reading back bits on other adoption blogs. This particular one had a hilarious post, reposted here.

Airline Mechanics with a Sense of HumorJust in case you need a laugh:

Remember it takes a college degree to fly a plane but only a high school diploma to fix one.

Reassurance for those of us who fly routinely in our jobs.

After every flight, Qantas pilots fill out a form, called a "gripesheet," which tells mechanics about problems with the aircraft.The mechanics correct the problems, document their repairs on theform, and then pilots review the gripe sheets before the next flight.Never let it be said that ground crews lack a sense of humor.

Here are some actual maintenance complaints submitted by Qantas'pilots(marked with a P) and the solutions recorded (marked with an S) by maintenance engineers.By the way, Qantas is the only major airline that has never, ever, hadan accident.

P: Left inside main tire almost needs replacement.
S: Almost replaced left inside main tire.

P: Test flight OK, except auto-land very rough.
S: Auto-land not installed on this aircraft.

P: Something loose in cockpit.
S: Something tightened in cockpit.

P: Dead bugs on windshield.
S: Live bugs on back-order.

P: Autopilot in altitude-hold mode produces a 200 feet per minute descent.
S: Cannot reproduce problem on ground.

P: Evidence of leak on right main landing gear.
S: Evidence removed.

P: Friction locks cause throttle levers to stick.
S: That's what friction locks are for.

P: Suspected crack in windshield.
S: Suspect you're right.

P: Number 3 engine missing.
S: Engine found on right wing after brief search.

P: Aircraft handles funny.
S: Aircraft warned to straighten up, fly right, and be serious.

P: Target radar hums.
S: Reprogrammed target radar with lyrics.

P: Mouse in cockpit.
S: Cat installed.

And the best one for last..................

P: Noise coming from under instrument panel. Sounds like a midget pounding on something with a hammer.
S: Took hammer away from midget

Maybe I'm slap happy at 1 am with only 6 hours of sleep the whole week under my belt but I cannot stop laughing.

stupid family

My aunt is starting her "why should she adopt, is she not proud of her heritage enough to produce babies?" speeches.

She called me mum and started grilling her on how she would "allow" me to do such a hideous thing like adopt... especially when I am fertile...

I am trying to figure out some witty things to come back to her on about it all. Right now it's the typical retort of "why would I want to pass on genes that created you?" but that just causes malice.

*sigh* stupid family.

woo

I have the pre-k until further notice. Which makes me sad and happy at the same time. I have gone through all the old cirriculum and all teh stuff the last teacher used... This poor class has had 2 standard teachers and 2 float teachers in about 6 months time. I am consider one of the float teachers with Ms. G. Regardless, G won't do lesson plans, so while I am getting plans together for my 2's, I am now responsible for the prek lessons.. and those are much more important. I guess B will have to take over the bulk of lesson planning with our guys...

I hope the boss has someone hired before too too long. I don't wnt ot spend another summer outside my kiddos (I've been there 3 summers, almost 4, and have only spent one summer with my actual kids.) I also need to sit down and get our mother's days books together. That is our HUGE project, and it's rather large. The kids pick out their fave foam colours and we put togheter a booklet with poems (one I wrote, I'm rather proud of that!) and pictures of the kids. All topped off with their handprints on the back. It's adorable... and expected! lol. The boss loves when we hand those out because she gets parents who come to her crying with joy for how happy they are, which makes her daycare look good.

So anyways, time to leave for wednesday night class... I don't want to go, but it's almost over! Then we are starting a new Beth Moore study, but an actual book this time, not a workbook. I do not like this particular study, as I don't feel I am getting anything out of it. Regardless, I need to head out.

Later,

Hawk!

ugh v.v

I'm cranky, it's okay.

I really wish people would let us know before they go private... and longer than an hour... some people do work.

I have been reading a blog for quite some time, the quest2kaz one... and now it's suddenly private... and that happened some time today, and I'm sad about it. I don't know those people, so i know no way to contacting them to say "hey, I have been reading your blog and I really am interested in your story, add me?" but it's like.. wow.

I know people have reasons for going private. I do read one private blog and the mother was nice enough to allow me to read it, but she has a damn good reason to go private.. and I'm sure everyone who does does, but I hate when blogs I enjoy to read go private.

Okay that was my rant. I'm better now.

Work today was tiring. We had a teacher fired, which it was about time. If she yelled at the kids ot "Shut up" one more time, I was gunna go off on her. She taught the pre-k, four year olds, and she was constantly yelling at them, psyically moving them around without cause and even slapped one. That was the last straw that got her fired, with her hitting a child on the mouth. I think we all would have quit had she not been fired.

Regardless, I think I am going to have to class starting tomorrow, which will leave B in our class alone... 10 two's all day by herself. We've both done it before, but neither of us like it too much. Hopefully the boss will have someone hired before monday.. as monday we have a class switch and we gain a kid in our room, as well as lose a kid, and I doubt B will be able to handle this newbie on her own.. shi.. I couldn't handle this newbie on my own. This boy... is 2 as of tomorrow, and he has no fine motor skills, doesn't talk except to say "ball" and is a holy terror. His mum keeps saying "I can't wait till he's in your (my) class so he will start talking and going to the toliet"... it's like woman, that doesn't magically happen! You have to WORK with your children outside of their 10 hours at daycare... Yes we teach them loads of stuff (I have a 2.5 yr old who can read and an almost 3 yr old who can write without assistance and can identify all the letters while writing them) but we don't do all the work. We do rely on the parents.

I am extremely tired with all that's goin on at work. Spring graduation is coming close adn I still haven't finished the videos... I've got mother's day books to get going and I still have to find out what to do about little A.. she has no mum (in jail for murdering her sister, oddly enough) and it's just really stressing me the poo out. Also there is strep and a nasty stomach virus going about.

Oh and I still haven't filed my taxes... I've got less than a month to file... and I haven't the time (nor the money to pay anyone to do it)... my head hurts, lol.

Like I said at the start of this post, I'm cranky.. and when I'm cranky I get complainy... tomorrow we'll be back to our regularly scheduled happy blog. :)

Off to take my last antibiotic pill and then to bed... woo!

so effin sick

I'm quite tired of people with the Angelina Jolie thing. Yes, she did just adopt another child, Pax, and yes, she didn't have it in the media for very long, but guess what, that doesn't mean she went any way against the law. Angelina is very blunt about being on this side of the adoption laws. She works hard for Adoption rights, starts funds in her children's birth countries in their name, and constantly researches and finds the right children. So what if it doesn't take her 10 years to adopt. Sometimes all it takes is 6 months. Don't forget she hasn't got to take the time to riase funds, don't forget she doesn't have to take the time on other things that we do.

She waits just like we do, she's not Madonna.

Just chill on her okay? Geez.

CWA Recommended Resources for Adoptive Parents

Attacing in Adoption Deborah Gray
Adoption Parentings Edited by Jean MacLeod and Sheena Macrae, PHD
I Wish for You A Beautiful Life Edited by Dorow
Growing up Adopted Rosenberg
Are Those Kids Yours? Cheri Register
Loved by Choice Horner and Martindale
The Whole Life Adoption Book Jayne Schooler
Telling The Truth to your Adopted or Foster Child: Making Sense of the Past Betsy Keefer and Jayne Schooler
Toddler Adoption: The Waver's Craft Mary Hopkins-Best
Insies Transracial Adoption Steinberg and Hall
20 Things Adopted Children Wished Their Adopted Parens Knew Sherrie Eldridge
Adopting the Hurt Child and Parenting the Hurt Child Gregory C. Keck and Regina M. Kupecky
How to Really Love Your Child Dr. Ross Campbell
The Out-Of-Sync Child Carol Stock Kranowitz
After the Dream Comes True Michelle Gardner
Adoption as a Ministry Michelle Gardner

Books For Cildren
How I was Adopted Joanna Cole
We're Different; We're the Same Bobbi Kates (Sesame Street)
Shaoey and Dot Mary Beth and Steven Curtis Chapman
I Love You Like Crazy Cakes Rose Lewis

Websites
www.adoption.com
www.adoptionlearningpartners.org
www.childtraumaacademy.com/amazing_brain , Bruce Perry, M.D, Ph.D.
www.adoptionarticlesdirectory.com/Article/Activies-to-Promote-Healthy-Development/11

CWA meeting

so it's almost 10p and I think I can finally have a moment to breathe to post. My mum's been on a huge cleaning thing tonight... ugh.

Anyways. It ended up only being me at the seminar. The other families did not show up, nor did the single mum who adopted from Russia a few years ago. She was having heart issues and was going to the hospital (valid reason if I ever heard one! lol).

The seminar was basically just going over what is an adoption, how does international differ from domestic, what can be expected in wait terms. Then she went over the different countries and I learned that in initial information she gave me about only having to be 23 for Russia was incorrect. You do have to be 25 if you are single. In the Ukraine however, you only have to be 23. The only problem I see with Ukraine is the children are much much older. 14 months and up at age of referral. Where as in russian 8 months and up is referral age. I don't know if I feel okay adopting that much of an older kid when it may be up to 8 months before I get him home. 22 months is well on their way to being content in their routine and the likes...I dunno.. something to think about.

I also like the looks of their Kyrgyzstan program for age of children as well, but I know NO ONE, in blog land or IRL, who has adopted from Kryg. In Kyrg you can get a refferal for a child as young as 3 months... and it estimates that it will take only up to a year to adopt and it s a one trip of about 10 days to complete.

Mrs. Roll did inform me that they have ALWAYS had teh waiting period dys waived for all thir families. That includes the Russian 10 day wait and the Ukraine 10-30 days wait. They have ALWAYS had it waived... which makes me excited to use them.

She did go on about the Ethiopia adoption programme. It's new, the cheapest, and as long as you are a professing and practicing Christian, it will take little to no time at all.

Kazakhstan is the thier most expensive adoption... and it goes down until their Ethiopian adoptions, being around 16000.

They gave a list of books which I'll type up in my next post (in about a min).

All in all it was an okay seminar. I would have liked it better to have not been the only person there. I really wanted to hear what other families asked about everything. I just didn't know the questions to ask... I know most everything about he process and I really just wanted someone who didn't know so much to ask all the questions.

Krisanne and Jeff were really cool. They explained their adoption and they made the seminar seem very home type. There was no need for dressing up or sitting up straight. It was very laidback and informal. Made it feel like the get together of a few friends instead of a seminar about adoption.

Anyway, all in all it was good. I may contact the Rolls and see if I can attend the one in may at the same place and hopefully have a few more families show up. I am genuinly in like of this agency. They seem awesome.

welp

well today is the seminar. In about an hour I'll be leavin for it and oddly I'm rather nervous...

I'm printing the directions to the place right now, which seems damn near impossible to find. I just hope it all works out. The lady who is hosting it said that there is about 2 other families coming as of monday, so I really hope they both show up so I'm not there alone... that would be awkward!

So anyway, step one, choose an agency.

When you thought I wasn't looking

"When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you hang my first painting on the refrigerator, and I immediately wanted to paint another one.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you feed a stray cat, and I learned that it was good to be kind to animals.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you make my favorite cake for me and I learned that little things can be the special things in life.

When you though I wasn't looking, I heard you say a prayer, and I knew there is a God I could always talk to and I learned to trust in God.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you make a meal and take it to a friend who was sick, and I learned that we all have to help take care of each other.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you give of your time and money to help people who had nothing and I learned that those who have something should give to those who don't.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I felt you kiss me good night and I felt loved and safe.

When you though I wasn't looking, I saw you take care of our house and everyone in it and I learned we have to take care of what we are given.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw how you handled your responsibilities, even when you didn't feel good and I learned that I would have to be responsible when I grew up.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw tears come from your eyes and I learned that sometimes things hurt, but it's all right to cry.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw that you cared and I wanted to be everything that I could be.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I learned most of life's lessons that I needed to know to be good and productive person when I grew up.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I looked at you and wanted to say, Thanks for all the things I saw when you thought I wasn't looking.'"

Another cute thing I found... another good thing to remember.