The winning photo

I just want to update from a previous post that this is the photo that won 1st in photography at the local nature center art competition. I went to look at the other photos on display. There were lots of frogs and dragon flies. There were some amazing views of nature. I feel very honored. I guess the unique thing about this photo is that G-man was one of two humans actually in a photo.
I went to a nice reception and rec'd a gift certificate towards a program there. G-man likes the summer nature camps - we will probably use it for that.
I am inspired to take a class at our local center for the arts called Right brain photography. I am very excited. It will be from 7-10pm . Will I be able to stay awake? Probably- it will be tough to sleep after actually engaging the brain.
I will post some pics once it starts in Jan for review.
As always - thank you for the kind words of support in the comments towards the photos.

Home study Update

We just had the social worker come today to update our home study.
Yesterday, I felt sad that it had been so long that paperwork "expires". I didn't think we would have gotten to this point.
But today after she left- I feel a bit closer to our adoption. It seemed a little more real again. I know that sounds crazy but talking with someone who helps make it "official" was ok.

Her agency does all types of adoptions. She didn't say that much about China. We did mention that this is longer than we thought going into it. She said that she just signed someone on for China and made sure they understood that it maybe a 3 year wait.

She did mention too that the few China adoptions they were doing have switched to other countries. We are also using another agency that specializes only in china adoption but need this local agency to do our home study. This local group will also be responsible for our post placement paperwork.

And overall, we are once again "good people" to adopt on paper! Whew!

CNC photo

This is the dragonfly picture. What I entered in the contest was: enlarge to 11x14 two of the photo and using an exacto knife to cut out the wings and put glue under it to raise them. It looks 3-D and sort of like it is flying. I finished it by putting a dark blue mat around it.

I just found out that I am one of winners in the photo category. I don't know which one won but I am guessing it is the dragon fly.

I really enjoyed the diversion to mess around with my hobby. It is expensive at times so you have to be choosey. I'll need to get a paying job to continue this - but then you don't have the TIME to take the pictures....Catch 22
My church asked if I wanted to set up a display of photos in the fornt hall. Now I am working on a theme- Nature or kids. Maybe two displays... Hmmm

photos

I am not going to mention anything about XXXXX (the country we are hoping to travel to in the next 2 years.)

I have other parts to my life. Yep there is the volutneering that is going well but I am enjoying the photography.
I am entering a photo contest at our local nature center. I can only enter 2. I have stared at these long enough to think they all are getting old. I am also driving my family crazy with waht about this one and what if I put a black mat on this, etc.
I am entering the dragon fly as an 11x14. I made two enalrgements and cut out the wings on one and placed it over the other. I sent it in already so I don't have a copy of it to post.
The other is gman in the water. I wanted to use the frog in hand but again only two. Enjoy.

New life - Ala Volunteer

I've been away for a bit. I do check in but haven't left many comments.It is really hard to deal with China and the wait - I am become the ostrich. Sorry.
What I have done away from the blogging world is become cheap labor:)
I am immersed in the "volunteer" world. Amazing how my plate is fuller than a teaching job. I have to learn to say "not today, but thanks for asking."
I - many of you will understand- feel that I have to prove something since I am not working. I can't just tell people that I took a year off - no I have to ramble on how I am doing this and that.
I am proud to say that the mentoring program I am coordinating as a "volunteer" has 42 people signed on, trained and background checked. The largyntis I had was diagnosed as viral (ie no magic pills) and has lasted almost 4 weeks with varying symptoms as it has kicked my butt.

I am pulling the energy together this week to start the mentors in 3 different math classes. The goal of the program is to improve confidence and performance in the basic math skills. SO Hopefully I will be on a schedule by Thanksgiving.

I have missed working with the 8th graders so I also "volunteered" to advise a school leadership group. The group is to serve and work on philanthropy projects in the good name of the school. It is good to be with the students in a non authority role and I enjoy their energy BUT organizing and running the 15 projects they have identified is not going so smoothly. They don't have enough experience to do timelines or focus on tasks that need to get done for the project to work. I am really trying to make sure that this is their activities and sometimes we don't get something done. After the adult mentoring gets started - then I can devote more time to this.

Last thing I am "volunteering" to do is coach the science Olympiad team. BUT I have enlisted about 5 other retirees and young scientists to help on certain events. I will just arrange the times and work on recruiting the kids.

Sounds pretty insane. Yep. It feels like it too but I am happy. I will want a "job" next fall. Where that will be I don't know. I am trying all these things I wanted to do first. I am able to help at the kids school too. Very rewarding and God Bless the elementary teachers!

In my original plan of life - which I know I have no control over anymore- I was to have traveled to China this fall and be home with a little girl and treat her like a princess. I have hyper focused into other areas to pass the time, enjoy the boys and family for now. This sounds confident but it is still a struggle to take during referral time.
Thanks for reading.
PS some of you change your blogs- how do I post when I have to subscribe?

Sleepless

I neglected blog posting and visiting for about two weeks. My son had been sick with some "GERM" for over three months. What the diagnosis came to be is- "allergies"
Do you ever get the feeling that it is just a generic term like having a "cold?"
After two weeks of test that is the answer we got.
Let me back up- so you can experience the fun too....
Three weeks ago I went to the pediatrician finally after months of this kid breathing funny and having circles under his eyes like we abuse him. Now some may be thinking - mono, right? Well, this kid also had ENERGY. Only throwing up will slow him down- and that is in the bathroom and then out.
So I cough, choke up the money for the Dr. to tell me Claritin and singular 1x a day.
After a week - no improvement- not worse.
So we go back and the Dr. tell me to go to the Ear Nose & Throat expert right away. His tonsils look bad. Huh?
I go there and Dr schedules us for an x ray and a sleep study- again -a whatta?
The next day we go for the x ray. Pretty scary seeing a little guy only 3 ft tall lined up on a wall with a giant x ray tube shooting at his face. I hear the technicians discussing what "number" to set it at - say what? my suggestion - low! They get someone else that gives them a higher number. I tell my kid to close his eyes- the technician laughs- "that won't matter."
The next day after that we go to hospital to have a sleep study. I was told I could not drop him off and leave him there alone. Do people do that?
I am going to have to spend the night too. Oh joy! The whole family comes to be there to tuck him in- hubby and big bro.
We are met downstairs in a back hallway by two big male nurses or if they have a special title.
They have to hook the little guy to 18 wires (we counted) with a sticker or pasty stuff. He is really brave - even when his big bro tells him to watch being electrocuted when he pees. Nice....
The room have one double bed. I slowly figure out I have to sleep there too. I was hoping for a recliner on the side. Nope- there is a camera facing the bed and an infrared camera above. It is really creepy. Like big brother watching. I don't care as long as I don't know someone is bugging my house. See I have no idea if anyone ever follows me since I don't pay attention to that, either. I am a dreamer - I love my own thoughts- I get lost in them easily enough.
I brought a laptop and was planning to blog this post as it was happening. Hubby and Big Bro go home and I get ready to start on some work.
The head nurse tells me I cannot use the laptop. Oh- I say - thinking the computer will mess up some of the tests. Ok- I tell him I'll just work on some stuff by the lamp light here. NO- he tells me again. No lights on - period. & I cannot leave the room.
Well, I guess I better just hop into bed at 9pm and lie next to the little guy. I was also told not to touch him (like hug him or wrap an arm while he is sleeping there) again- I will try - plus he has so much stuff on him I know I would accidentally pull a wire.
So they talk to me, laying there in complete darkness, with my sweat suit on, answering about the ambiance to make sure the temp is right, etc. They are just these voices in the dark. I am feeling very uneasy and know I am not going to get any sleep.
After I think some short black out period on my part, I wake up and look over at the little guy. I did this about a hundred times that night. I prayed I wouldn't drool, talk in my sleep or snore.
One time on my routing checks- I see the little guy way on the edge of of the bed. I am nervous since he falls out of be alot and now there are these wires. So I whisper into the dark " Can I move him from the edge just a bit?" Then the voice from the dark answers "You may." Very creepy, kind of like a thriller movie that you wish you weren't a part of.
They woke us up at 5:30 am to remove the stuff. He tells me that the little guys breathing was clear and looked good. He said that I didn't sleep well. -Really?
The results from either were nothing. My pediatrian now thinks a CAT scan- a whatta? So delay on the next test to call a reputable allergist in town and made my own appointment- giving them a good story off all we had been through. Got in two days later from a cancellation.
Allergy Dr. Looked at my kid and said "Allergies". I told him what we had done. He was furious - yep that would describe it- he said - "your kid is a poster child for allergies!- I'd fail my 1st year med students for not recognizing that!" He tested little guy on the spot. Little guy (aka nature & animal lover) is allergic to everything outside- trees, grasses, ragweed, pollen, mold, cats, and rodents. But not dogs. Dr. gave him some nasal stuff & zyrtec, told us to get an air purifier for dust mites - only a mild reaction (whew! I was afraid I'd really have to clean house or something).
Yeah! Kid feels better but we just have to watch the seasons here and use the meds before it gets too serious.

Me now- I have laryngitis- I cannot talk and no energy. Seriously- I squeak. This is a curse if you are Italian. Almost as bad as not having hands to help express yourself. Maybe a sleep study....

Running with the Big Dogs

Yep, this puppy got off the porch to take a run with the big dogs. I had meetings all day yesterday with people that had titles after their name like: director, CEO, emeritus, PhDs, chairman, and usually more than one title - unlike mine which follows my name as volunteer.

It was quite a learning experience. I watched body language,subtle and not so subtle power struggles and measuring others up. I was like a puppy being potty trained...

Not sure exactly what was productive out of the meetings- lots of "good meeting", "this was helpful", "let's keep doing this" and "sounds good."

See, I think sometimes they are so far removed from the worker bees that they don't know what is going on. A few times when I was acknowledged that I was there- I was asked to clarify - which I thought I did (taught 8th grade -I can be clear if I need to be) - then they would reiterate and it was nothing like I said. How many different languages can we be speaking here?

So while I was hoping for a concrete task list, support, new strategies to moving forward - they just seemed to applaud themselves for getting together. Very strange.

So I am continuing to work through some piles, set my own tasks to meet the goals we ALL set, and hopefully I made some connections with leader dogs for when I need a favor.
Yep this puppy is moving on....