Whoa, Nellie: This is not OUR good news, but ANY good news is worth sharing!
The exciting thing about discovering this whole new world of adoption is the friends that you meet along the way. We have met several families in Olney who are working with Catholic Charities and who are also waiting for their child (some first, some second). Just last week, two women I have become friends with got some exciting news: One friend received a referral for a healthy baby girl (she and her husband have been waiting since sometime in 2007, I believe--it takes longer if you wait for girls from Korea). The photo is so cute; she's all wrapped up snuggly tight in her warm-looking onesie, complete with footies, and she has these cute chubby cheeks!
And then the very next day, another friend (who I only know via email thus far) who also lives in Olney (the three of us chat from time to time) got the call on Friday that their daughter Amanda, who they have been waiting for during the past few months (I saw photos of her...she is ADORABLE!), would be at Dulles this Tuesday. They basically got four days' notice. Yikes! This is their second child. They already have a son, Matthew, also from Korea.
Being a first-time adopter, this experience of hearing such positive news from my friends gave me such hope and an incredible amount of reassurance that the wait really is worth it, and that it really does HAPPEN! (Sometimes you start to doubt if it ever will.)
I think I'll start clearing out that room. Maybe this parenting thing is going to happen sooner than I think! Or so I hope!
Now onto other things non-adoption-related: This past weekend, I took my first kayaking lesson. We went on the reservoir near my house. It was awesome...very zen-like. I loved it! We saw a blue heron take off squawking right in front of us. Saw fish jumping right up out of the water. It was so tranquil and peaceful and still, and the water was like glass. Absolutely gorgeous day, one that makes you thankful for all things beautiful in this world of ours.
I also took a 2-hour yoga training session (good to brush up!) and my weekly drumming lesson from my dear husband. He is so patient with us beginners! Hmmm...I'm taking all of these "lessons" and am being such a "student" these days! What is THAT about?
At the end of October, we signed up for a Baby Care class--can I tell ya how thankful I am that I don't have sit in a room full of big-bellied women? It's awesome that Catholic Charities thinks to offer such classes to those of us who are psychologically, but not physically, "pregnant"!
Grandparents' night is tomorrow evening! I'll blog about it later this week. I'm sure it'll be quite interesting! All six of us are caravaning up there in two cars.
I'll end with a quote from my dad: "Soooo, this grandparents' night thing...we're not being, like, screened, are we? I mean, they're not gonna put us on the spot or anything, right?" (insert wrinkly face) I just laughed and said, "No, Dad!"
It's funny, how people think.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Friday, September 26, 2008
We're Still...Just...Waiting
Hi, everyone! At our monthly "free bagels" breakfast for work, my friend Gazala yelled at me for not updating my blog since July 21. So I am giving into the guilt. Here goes.
We're still just "waiting." It's not really that bad, all the waiting. We are both so busy with stuff. I know that the stuff will go away or change when the baby comes (if one more person tells me that, I swear I'm going to scream! So stop telling me that, kids!). But for now, it's a godsend to be this busy! I am teaching two yoga classes: one at work (that has become quite popular!) and one near my home. I am so enjoying my calling as a yoga teacher. I wish I could do it full time but it wouldn't pay the bills! I also started taking drumming lessons from my dear husband. He has students come on Sunday nights at 7:00, and I'm usually there, so I figured, What the hell? it's been fun, learning the three main hand movements (bass, tone, and slap) of West African drumming! We even put them all together for a little "rhythm" last week! We sounded pretty good! And next weekend, I am FINALLY taking my very first kayaking lesson with a friend of a friend. We are going out on the reservoir, the three of us. I cannot even tell you how excited I am to learn how to kayak! It seems so peaceful and such a great way to see nature--specifically, birds, which I am really into.
Oh, and Jeff and I are traveling for TWO FULL WEEKS to Hawaii to celebrate our 10-year wedding anniversary, my big 4-0 (gulp: enter another decade), and his 42nd. We are traveling to Kauai for a week (my pick, for all the ecotourism and hiking opps) and The Big Island for the second week (his pick, for all the geographic diversity, hiking, and star-gazing opportunities). We will be away Nov 2-16. We are SO EXCITED!
I am currently starting to poke around looking into child care and pediatricians who can review our child's medical file and photo, quickly, once we get the referral, to verify that the child is healthy as stated. We have to find 2 doctors who are willing to be kind of "on call" for that phone call! I know so many people in the area with kids and so many people who have adopted; they are proving to be such a valuable resource!
I think we'll start clearing the room and painting soon. I was going to wait, being kind of superstitious about starting anything like that before we have a specific child matched with us. However, my friend Meg put the fear of God in me today: She said that for their second, Liam, it took only four months from the initial meeting to pickup of their child! Yikes! (If that was us, we would have picked up our child in JUNE, to give you an idea of how short that time was!) She said she had no time to prepare b/c she thought they were settling in for another long wait. Surprise, Surprise!
We do get a monthly email from Catholic Charities, telling us the "monthly Korean update." They never tell us where we are on the list, in terms of number. But they have been getting 1-2 referrals for healthy infants every month (not very many, I know!), and I know that we are among 14 families waiting. I would guess that we are somewhere in the middle of that list. Doing the math, and assuming the worst--that we are fourteenth--Jeff and I are putting us getting a referral at around March or April (basically, sometime in spring 2009). But if we are in the middle of the list, it could be before that. CC refuses to specify. Ugh!
Refreshing your memory: After we accept the referral, we know that we travel 2-4 months later (or so we are told...I don't think this estimate ever changes b/c it's finally something that CC has some control over!). I keep saying that maybe we'll get a Christmas present in the form of a referral! How cool would THAT be?!? I'm putting my energy toward that, these days.
I also just discovered two more families in Olney with kids they adopted from Korea. One family is in our neighborhood, right down the street, but their kids are older: 9-year-old boy and another child they are waiting for a call about. But the other family has a 1.5-year-old, Matthew, and is awaiting Amanda's arrival (infant). They invited me to their adoption cohort monthly playgroup, and I think we may just attend. They said we can meet lots of families with adopted kids from Korea, all very recently adopted, and we can join the group if we'd like! They sound so nice and welcoming!
We went to our monthly parents in progress meeting in September, and we heard from the featured speaker, a pediatrician who specializes in international adoption. His talk was EXCELLENT, and he painted a very, um, realistic picture. (I quote: "The plan ride coming back WILL be hell.") But he has something like 30 years of experience treating adopted kids, and he's so good at what he does and is very well-connected. So, we have him as a resource.
Next month's meeting is "grandparent's night," where all of our parents are invited to come and participate. Parents come from all over the place, and those who come the farthest get a prize. My parents are both coming from PA (four-hour drive for a Tuesday night meeting! God bless mom and dad!), and Jeff's parents are coming, as well (they live in Manassas). Should be fun. Allows CC to brief our folks about what to expect, how the process works, the similarities and differences between having birth grandchildren and adopted grandchildren, and to answer any questions our parents have about the process.
Well, enough said. I just wanted to touch base and say hi b/c it's been so long since I've written anything.
Love and peace to all,
Kathleen
We're still just "waiting." It's not really that bad, all the waiting. We are both so busy with stuff. I know that the stuff will go away or change when the baby comes (if one more person tells me that, I swear I'm going to scream! So stop telling me that, kids!). But for now, it's a godsend to be this busy! I am teaching two yoga classes: one at work (that has become quite popular!) and one near my home. I am so enjoying my calling as a yoga teacher. I wish I could do it full time but it wouldn't pay the bills! I also started taking drumming lessons from my dear husband. He has students come on Sunday nights at 7:00, and I'm usually there, so I figured, What the hell? it's been fun, learning the three main hand movements (bass, tone, and slap) of West African drumming! We even put them all together for a little "rhythm" last week! We sounded pretty good! And next weekend, I am FINALLY taking my very first kayaking lesson with a friend of a friend. We are going out on the reservoir, the three of us. I cannot even tell you how excited I am to learn how to kayak! It seems so peaceful and such a great way to see nature--specifically, birds, which I am really into.
Oh, and Jeff and I are traveling for TWO FULL WEEKS to Hawaii to celebrate our 10-year wedding anniversary, my big 4-0 (gulp: enter another decade), and his 42nd. We are traveling to Kauai for a week (my pick, for all the ecotourism and hiking opps) and The Big Island for the second week (his pick, for all the geographic diversity, hiking, and star-gazing opportunities). We will be away Nov 2-16. We are SO EXCITED!
I am currently starting to poke around looking into child care and pediatricians who can review our child's medical file and photo, quickly, once we get the referral, to verify that the child is healthy as stated. We have to find 2 doctors who are willing to be kind of "on call" for that phone call! I know so many people in the area with kids and so many people who have adopted; they are proving to be such a valuable resource!
I think we'll start clearing the room and painting soon. I was going to wait, being kind of superstitious about starting anything like that before we have a specific child matched with us. However, my friend Meg put the fear of God in me today: She said that for their second, Liam, it took only four months from the initial meeting to pickup of their child! Yikes! (If that was us, we would have picked up our child in JUNE, to give you an idea of how short that time was!) She said she had no time to prepare b/c she thought they were settling in for another long wait. Surprise, Surprise!
We do get a monthly email from Catholic Charities, telling us the "monthly Korean update." They never tell us where we are on the list, in terms of number. But they have been getting 1-2 referrals for healthy infants every month (not very many, I know!), and I know that we are among 14 families waiting. I would guess that we are somewhere in the middle of that list. Doing the math, and assuming the worst--that we are fourteenth--Jeff and I are putting us getting a referral at around March or April (basically, sometime in spring 2009). But if we are in the middle of the list, it could be before that. CC refuses to specify. Ugh!
Refreshing your memory: After we accept the referral, we know that we travel 2-4 months later (or so we are told...I don't think this estimate ever changes b/c it's finally something that CC has some control over!). I keep saying that maybe we'll get a Christmas present in the form of a referral! How cool would THAT be?!? I'm putting my energy toward that, these days.
I also just discovered two more families in Olney with kids they adopted from Korea. One family is in our neighborhood, right down the street, but their kids are older: 9-year-old boy and another child they are waiting for a call about. But the other family has a 1.5-year-old, Matthew, and is awaiting Amanda's arrival (infant). They invited me to their adoption cohort monthly playgroup, and I think we may just attend. They said we can meet lots of families with adopted kids from Korea, all very recently adopted, and we can join the group if we'd like! They sound so nice and welcoming!
We went to our monthly parents in progress meeting in September, and we heard from the featured speaker, a pediatrician who specializes in international adoption. His talk was EXCELLENT, and he painted a very, um, realistic picture. (I quote: "The plan ride coming back WILL be hell.") But he has something like 30 years of experience treating adopted kids, and he's so good at what he does and is very well-connected. So, we have him as a resource.
Next month's meeting is "grandparent's night," where all of our parents are invited to come and participate. Parents come from all over the place, and those who come the farthest get a prize. My parents are both coming from PA (four-hour drive for a Tuesday night meeting! God bless mom and dad!), and Jeff's parents are coming, as well (they live in Manassas). Should be fun. Allows CC to brief our folks about what to expect, how the process works, the similarities and differences between having birth grandchildren and adopted grandchildren, and to answer any questions our parents have about the process.
Well, enough said. I just wanted to touch base and say hi b/c it's been so long since I've written anything.
Love and peace to all,
Kathleen
Monday, July 21, 2008
No News...Just Saying Hi
I miss my blogging, now that things have kind of calmed down and we've settled in for the long (or maybe, hopefully, not-so-long) wait! So I thought I'd just post a message to let you all know I'm still here. We're just hangin' out, waiting for our kid. Nothing new at all to report...believe me, you'll be the first to know!
We've been doing a lot of visiting with family lately...the loss of Jasmine is still very painful and present, but we are finding joy and comfort in the times we spend with our loved ones. Latest thing: Steve, Kyla, and Ava came to visit us this weekend, and we had such fun! Ava is a piece of work: talking up a storm now, and she LOVED Jupiter. No fear at all. Just wanted to hug him and "fluff the puppy" all weekend long. She kept calling him Puppy. It was so cute!
We have a bunch of road trips coming up: a family reunion this weekend in PA, then Ava's birthday party in NJ, and a fun long weekend visiting one of my oldest and dearest friends in NC.
This fall we'll be married 10 years (AND I turn 40! What a fall it will be!), and we've decided to take a long, much-overdue getaway vacation. Probably to the Caribbean or Mexico. Preferably all-inclusive. I want to be pampered, baby! I'm doing the research now (we'll be traveling in early November), and I'm just completely overwhelmed and stumped as to where we should go. We went to St. Lucia for our honeymoon; been to Puerto Rico already. I kind of don't want to go somewhere we've already been. So far, several resorts in Mexico (Ixtapa/Ziehuatenaho region), Barbados, Turks & Caicos, Bermuda, and Jamaica seem awfully appealing. Any suggestions? I'm such a terrible decision maker, and the more options, the longer it takes me to decide. Jeff would like some mountains, as well as beach (which is why St. Lucia would be good, but we've already been there). If you have a recommendation, please post a reply here. I'd love to get a good word-of-mouth recommendation. Those are the best kind!
Talk to everyone soon! Hope your summer has been fun so far...ours has.
Peace,
Kathleen
We've been doing a lot of visiting with family lately...the loss of Jasmine is still very painful and present, but we are finding joy and comfort in the times we spend with our loved ones. Latest thing: Steve, Kyla, and Ava came to visit us this weekend, and we had such fun! Ava is a piece of work: talking up a storm now, and she LOVED Jupiter. No fear at all. Just wanted to hug him and "fluff the puppy" all weekend long. She kept calling him Puppy. It was so cute!
We have a bunch of road trips coming up: a family reunion this weekend in PA, then Ava's birthday party in NJ, and a fun long weekend visiting one of my oldest and dearest friends in NC.
This fall we'll be married 10 years (AND I turn 40! What a fall it will be!), and we've decided to take a long, much-overdue getaway vacation. Probably to the Caribbean or Mexico. Preferably all-inclusive. I want to be pampered, baby! I'm doing the research now (we'll be traveling in early November), and I'm just completely overwhelmed and stumped as to where we should go. We went to St. Lucia for our honeymoon; been to Puerto Rico already. I kind of don't want to go somewhere we've already been. So far, several resorts in Mexico (Ixtapa/Ziehuatenaho region), Barbados, Turks & Caicos, Bermuda, and Jamaica seem awfully appealing. Any suggestions? I'm such a terrible decision maker, and the more options, the longer it takes me to decide. Jeff would like some mountains, as well as beach (which is why St. Lucia would be good, but we've already been there). If you have a recommendation, please post a reply here. I'd love to get a good word-of-mouth recommendation. Those are the best kind!
Talk to everyone soon! Hope your summer has been fun so far...ours has.
Peace,
Kathleen
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Yay! It worked!
I feel so smart and stuff.
Here are some more random photos. Anna with the pumpkins (she'll be 2 in October), Anna in her 2007 Halloween costume, and Jessica and Ava, hugging. We're going to PA to see them this weekend...cannot WAIT!
This Is Only a Test
This is a test of the emergency broadcast system. This is only a test.
Seriously, folks, I'm testing my ability to post photos on my blog, something I've been wanting to do for a while now but haven't gotten around to learning how. So bear with me. I couldn't find any photos of Jasmine that I can post, but there are some cute ones of Jupiter and my nieces. So stand by, as I test my technological capabilities as a 21st-Century Blogger Extraordinnaire!
Kathleen
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Rest in Peace, Jasmine
OK I can't write a lot about this, because I will completely lose it.
On Tuesday, July 1, our sweet little beagle Jasmine passed peacefully, with the help of our amazing vet and friend, Dr. K. She made a housecall (after working all day!) to assist Jasmine with her peaceful entry to Heaven. We spent the entire day with Jasmine, saying good-bye, taking lots of pictures, and hanging out as a family. Before Dr. K got there, Jeff and I had several glasses of wine and toasted our girl.
She drew her last breath at about 10:30 p.m., nestled in between my legs on the deck. She had the most perfect last day--warm breezes blowing, sun shining, no rain in sight. She spent most of it on the deck with us. She was very, very sick at the end there, and ultimately we had to choose her time for her. We know it was the right decision, but still not an easy one to face. We had hoped she'd choose it for us, but alas things didn't work out that way. I can still feel her spirit in our home (I really can!), although her physical presence is no longer with us. It was a blessing having her as our family member since 2001, and we miss her so much. I have been crying for days now. Just keep us in your thoughts.
I know this is not directly related to the adoption, but I figured I'd post a tribute to her here anyway. She was a damn good dog, in every way possible, and although I can't imagine life without her, we are managing, just trying to take things day by day, moment by moment--you know, the ways dogs do. (Jupiter is helping! He's such a happy little dog and doesn't even seem to miss her--of course, she always snapped and growled at him anyway!) She taught us so many lessons about how to live (in the present moment) and how to be (happy and content with what is, all the time), and she always made us smile. I just wish our child will have gotten to know Jasmine--but he or she will have tons of pictures and photo albums to look at, and we'll make sure that he or she learns her name and her legacy.
Thanks for allowing me this indulgence and slight diversion from the main focus of this blog! No more news about the adoption. Just sitting tight and WAITING!!! There is certainly a lot of joy to look forward to--even in my grief and despair, I can see that.
Kathleen
On Tuesday, July 1, our sweet little beagle Jasmine passed peacefully, with the help of our amazing vet and friend, Dr. K. She made a housecall (after working all day!) to assist Jasmine with her peaceful entry to Heaven. We spent the entire day with Jasmine, saying good-bye, taking lots of pictures, and hanging out as a family. Before Dr. K got there, Jeff and I had several glasses of wine and toasted our girl.
She drew her last breath at about 10:30 p.m., nestled in between my legs on the deck. She had the most perfect last day--warm breezes blowing, sun shining, no rain in sight. She spent most of it on the deck with us. She was very, very sick at the end there, and ultimately we had to choose her time for her. We know it was the right decision, but still not an easy one to face. We had hoped she'd choose it for us, but alas things didn't work out that way. I can still feel her spirit in our home (I really can!), although her physical presence is no longer with us. It was a blessing having her as our family member since 2001, and we miss her so much. I have been crying for days now. Just keep us in your thoughts.
I know this is not directly related to the adoption, but I figured I'd post a tribute to her here anyway. She was a damn good dog, in every way possible, and although I can't imagine life without her, we are managing, just trying to take things day by day, moment by moment--you know, the ways dogs do. (Jupiter is helping! He's such a happy little dog and doesn't even seem to miss her--of course, she always snapped and growled at him anyway!) She taught us so many lessons about how to live (in the present moment) and how to be (happy and content with what is, all the time), and she always made us smile. I just wish our child will have gotten to know Jasmine--but he or she will have tons of pictures and photo albums to look at, and we'll make sure that he or she learns her name and her legacy.
Thanks for allowing me this indulgence and slight diversion from the main focus of this blog! No more news about the adoption. Just sitting tight and WAITING!!! There is certainly a lot of joy to look forward to--even in my grief and despair, I can see that.
Kathleen
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Approved by USCIS!!!
It's nice that some things don't take nearly as long as you think they will. I thought for sure we'd be waiting weeks for our approval letter from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS)--after all, our home study was just mailed to them last Friday!
But today (Saturday) we got the magic "letter of approval" that allows us to proceed with the adoption of a child from Korea. It's called the I-797C, Notice of Action, and it's titled (are you ready for THIS mouthful?) NOTICE OF FAVORABLE DISPOSITION CONCERNING APPLICATION FOR ADVANCE PROCESSING OF ORPHAN PETITION. And the "approval" box is checked! Yay!
Of course I found a typo (see if you can find it too): "Your approved advance processing application is being retained or has been forwarded as indicted by an "X" below..."
Funny, I never knew you could "indict" an "X"--I'm certain they meant "indicated," but that's a whole other discussion.
Oh, and they apparently think we live on Thornberry "Land" vs. "Lane" (I asked Margie if that matters...I really, really hope it doesn't!).
We also got in the mail our certificate from Catholic Charities that reads as follows: "Catholic Charities Center for Family Services ADOPTIVE HOME CERTIFICATION--This is to certify that the home of Jeffrey & Kathleen Halverson has been certified as an Adoptive home for the care of children who are under the supervision of Catholic Charities' Center for Family Services." Whoo-hoo! We're official in every sense of the word!
Routine, bureaucratic paperwork typically bores me to death, but we are pretty darn excited about these two integral pieces of paper, both of which are critical steps on our journey to get matched with our child and to travel to Korea to bring him/her home.
So now, there really IS nothing left to wait for except our referral (when we get matched with our child), which probably won't happen until, at the earliest, the end of 2008, early 2009. Once we accept the referral (after running the baby's file by two international adoption pediatricians), we travel to Korea typically 2-4 months later. So travel will likely be anytime between spring and fall of 2009.
All in all, a pretty good weekend, wouldn't you say?
Keep the prayers and positive thoughts coming our way!
Hugs,
Kathleen
But today (Saturday) we got the magic "letter of approval" that allows us to proceed with the adoption of a child from Korea. It's called the I-797C, Notice of Action, and it's titled (are you ready for THIS mouthful?) NOTICE OF FAVORABLE DISPOSITION CONCERNING APPLICATION FOR ADVANCE PROCESSING OF ORPHAN PETITION. And the "approval" box is checked! Yay!
Of course I found a typo (see if you can find it too): "Your approved advance processing application is being retained or has been forwarded as indicted by an "X" below..."
Funny, I never knew you could "indict" an "X"--I'm certain they meant "indicated," but that's a whole other discussion.
Oh, and they apparently think we live on Thornberry "Land" vs. "Lane" (I asked Margie if that matters...I really, really hope it doesn't!).
We also got in the mail our certificate from Catholic Charities that reads as follows: "Catholic Charities Center for Family Services ADOPTIVE HOME CERTIFICATION--This is to certify that the home of Jeffrey & Kathleen Halverson has been certified as an Adoptive home for the care of children who are under the supervision of Catholic Charities' Center for Family Services." Whoo-hoo! We're official in every sense of the word!
Routine, bureaucratic paperwork typically bores me to death, but we are pretty darn excited about these two integral pieces of paper, both of which are critical steps on our journey to get matched with our child and to travel to Korea to bring him/her home.
So now, there really IS nothing left to wait for except our referral (when we get matched with our child), which probably won't happen until, at the earliest, the end of 2008, early 2009. Once we accept the referral (after running the baby's file by two international adoption pediatricians), we travel to Korea typically 2-4 months later. So travel will likely be anytime between spring and fall of 2009.
All in all, a pretty good weekend, wouldn't you say?
Keep the prayers and positive thoughts coming our way!
Hugs,
Kathleen
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