8 Months LID

As of December 20 our dossier has been logged in in China for 8 months. Still looking like early 2008 for referral at this point in time.

China has issued some new guidelines for potential adoptive parents including BMI limit, income and net assets, health, etc. These apparently will apply to families logged in after May 1, 2007.

Abecederian Meme

I have several blog posts pent up in my brain, but due to just finishing up a class for work, getting rear ended and spending the last two evenings at the chiropractor trying to have the damage undone I just can't spit them out right now...weekend starts tomorrow evening, though so check back soon to hear about the death of my Borns, ChicALTgo, The Perfect Piece and more!

Until then, passed on from SBird:

A is for age: 37
B is for Beer: Yuengling
C is for Career: Safety
D is for my Dog’s Name: Tuesday
E is for Essential Item I Use Everyday: Dental floss. Yes, every day
F is for Favorite T.V. Show: varies, currently Scrubs
G is for Favorite Game: Cranium
H is for Hometown: smallish college town
I is for Instruments I Play: clarinet and took fiddle lessons and would like to again
J is for Favorite Juice: Fresh squeezed orange with lots of pulp
K is for Whose Butt I’d Like To Kick: No one, but would love to tell mean people where to go
L is for the Last Place I Ate: Home
M is for Marriage: 3 years
N is for my Name: Mary
O is for Overnight Hospital Stays: Zero
P is for People I was With Today: Husband, coworkers, chiroprator, massage therapist
Q is for Quote: Currently see title quote
R is for Biggest Regret: None. If I had done anything different I wouldn't be who I am or where I am today and I like the who and where of me, so no regrets.
S is for Sport: Scuba diving
T is for Time I Woke Up Today: 6
U is for Current Underwear: VS Body by Victoria
V is for Vegetable You Love: Onions, mushrooms, kale, yams, tomatoes, etc.
W is for Worst Habit: Procrastination
X is for X-rays I Have Had: Dental
Y is for Yummy Food You Ate Today: Vegan shitake miso veggie soup
Z is for Zodiac: Aries, Rooster

ChicALTgo!

It was a blind date. An art show and a nice dinner. Would we like each other? Would we find things to talk about? Would we laugh?

The answer is YES! A contingent of 9 ALTS converged on Chicago one weekend in December (I'm counting the 3 husbands as ALTs by association). We met at the One of a Kind Show at the Merchandise Mart - one of the group's gals and her husband were showing their beautiful work there. I'll never forget going up to the group and asking "are you all part of an online group meeting here tonight?" It sounded so incredibly stupid, but I felt instantly comfortable with these women hearing their knowing laugh.

After browsing the show we headed to Coco Pazzo for a lovely meal. The conversation flowed so easily...adoption talk, ALT talk, everything talk minus a lot of the fluff the ALT group was created to avoid. There was so much laughter and fun I didn't want it to end. It was hugs all around when we parted ways and I felt like I found some great new friends. It was in instant connection. Can't wait 'til the next get together!

November Stork Alert!

Congratulations to families with LIDs between August 26, 2005, and September 8, 2005 - your referrals are on the way!

Another small batch means we're still looking at early 2008 for our referral. And no, that's not a typo, that's an "8".