Planning An Escape!

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Originally uploaded by Manic Mommies

This mom will be attending the Manic Mommies Escape weekend in RI!
I'm hoping that a friend will join me, as I can't imagine enjoying this girl (cocktails) weekend on my own.. ;) I'm currently trying to talk a couple of my friends into it, and hope they decide to join. It isn't easy for us moms to get away, but we have to do (cocktails) it on rare occasion!!
I'm also going to be marketing my Adoption and Birth Story DVDs while there - so if you do make it, look for me at the boutique!
If any of you moms might be interested, check out www.manicmommies.com for all of the details. They have some (cocktails) fun speakers/comedy/etc (cocktails) planned.. plus the hotel looks quite nice! They actually have a great parenting podcast, which I have been listening to for quite some time. It is entertaining and informative. I highly suggest it for all of you ipod-using-moms!
Anyhow, if anyone reading is planning to attend, let me know!
{did i mention cocktails??}

ARGH

People often ask me what the most difficult part of the adoption process is - besides the obvious difficulty of waiting for your child. Funny that I had forgotten this.. but something happened today that also happened with our first adoption process. The dossier!! Not that the dossier is, in itself, a horrible nightmare. No - it's the PEOPLE that you are working with that make it a nightmare. Noo.. not the agency reps.. but the people who have to have their signature notarized!!
Seriously, if you were helping someone to bring home an orphaned child and build their family - would you NOT be willing to do anything that you can to help both the child and the family?? Ok obviously not everyone feels this way.
Last time it was the local police dept. I haven't contacted them yet, so could be the same this time (lets hope not - they delayed us almost 2 months last time).
Today it was my doctor's office. Not my doctor - if she was this rude I would not be a patient. Here is how it played out:
I arrive at the office and approach the desk. A somewhat bored-looking person is there to help me.
I tell her "We are adopting a child, and I have a document that my doctor needs to sign and have notarized for me".
She replies: "I'm sorry, we don't have a notary anymore"
I reply: "No problem, I'm sure we can figure something out. Could you please get this form and my message to her?" I hold out our document to her.
She replies: "I'M SORRY but we do not have a notary" and refuses to take the document from my hand.
I reply: "Ok, well I would be happy to make arrangements and meet her at my local bank which is ~2 blocks away, or anyplace that she finds convenient"
She replies: "I'm sorry, we don't have a notary so we can't help you".. and pushes the document back to me
Me: "No problem - just have her call me and work it out"
Her: "I don't know what you are going to do, but we can't help you" and again pushes the document to me
Me: "Well, we cannot adopt our child without this form notarized. Could you please just have her call me?"
Her: "I guess I can ask her, but she is out until Thursday and she can't help you"
Me: "I can wait - please have her call me"
Her: "Well, I will tell her, but we can't help you"
Me: "PLEASE have her simply call me"
She then took the form, put a post-it on it with my phone # - no note or words - and bid me farewell.

ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGH.

Empty Nest Syndrome

..literally, the nest is empty.
Our little birdie-baby friends have grown up, taken flight, and left their cozy little nest above our front door. Sniff..sniff. No more waking up Maya and saying 'Good morning birdies!' .. and no more wishing the birdies 'good night' at the end of the day. No more scaring years off of their lives by climbing a ladder to peer into the nest. :) I miss them already!
The photo to the left is of the last baby, just before I frightened him into taking his first flight and forever leaving the nest. oops.

This past weekend we took a road trip to Tiny Town. Very cute little place - a bunch of 'tiny' buildings/houses/etc.. and a little train you can ride around the area. Maya, loving her trains, had the time of her life!

In other news.. my nephew is flying here tomorrow to visit for a week. Should be fun - he is 16.. so I'm anticipating a lot of begging for car drives! I'm also anticipating some learnings.. as I can always count on my nephews to bring me up-to-speed on the latest slang expressions, etc. It's often scary.. but it's probably a good thing that they keep us educated.
When did I become old anyway???

I've begun planning Maya's christening. It is going to take place in early August, back in my hometown. I want my parents to be there.. and my mom can't travel right now due to the chemo. Soo.. the party comes to them!
Today I received the dress that I ordered for Maya - OMG! It is seriously THE most beautiful thing I have seen for a little girl. She tried it on.. and even she was a bit overwhelmed. :) Portraits will be taken prior to the baptism! Hopefully I can get her to stand still long enough. She definitely can't run in this dress.. I need to try getting it shortened a little. I can foresee some tragic outbursts if she can't walk.
I also just ordered the invites for the event. CRIMINY! A bit more pricey than I had anticipated. Oh well. It's a once-in-a-lifetime event right? Thank goodness the guest list is tiny. yipes.
I guess that's it for today - happy Monday!