SCHOOL DAYS ARE COMING

August 18th is right around the corner. WHY do we start school so early here? Do you know how HOT is is here in South FL in August? And we always have hurricanes Aug/Sept. so the kids miss days anyhow. Why can't they just start the day after Labor Day, like most of the country does? It's not like we get out any sooner. We just have lots more holidays and teacher work days here :(
I had planned to be to Vietnam and home with Hannah by the time school started but that won't be happening...now I have 5 kids to get ready for school PDQ.
Our kids wear uniforms, and that's a good thing, but try and find a uniform that fits a kindergarten boy who wears size 18 months shorts! And Hannah? I'm going to need a size 3 if her measurements are correct.
Meg has been counting down the days until 6th grade. She wakes every morning happy because school is one day closer. I wake up dreading school is one day closer because I'm thinking of all I need to buy and prepare for that first day. At least everyone will be out of the house by 8 AM August 18th, except Paisley and me. What will I do with all that peace and quiet? Pack for Vietnam? Laundry? Shop? I think maybe Paisley and I will go in the pool and RELAX! My luck? It will probably be raining!!

WAITING...WAITING....WAITING

Still no email from my agency saying our I-600 was sent to the U.S. Embassy :( I thought for sure I would wake up to a great email. Oh well, maybe tomorrow.

I FORGOT!!!!!!!!!!!!

What a bad mom I am!!! I forgot to post about Tracy's birthday yesterday!!! DANG! Tracy, I'm sorry!
I didn't forget her birthday of course :) And Tray, If your reading this...you are gonna love your birthday gift that's coming!!!
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo
MOM

I FINALLY DID IT

I made my first KORKER HAIRBOW today! And it turned out CUTE!! I have one pair of my sandals made too! Tonight, after the little darlings go to sleep, I'll be at the diningroom table crafting away! I have no idea how I'll sell them. If I have to put a link to another selling blog I am out of luck. I Don't know how to do that. So... if anyone has any ideas...

STILL WAITING

To file our I-600 for Hannah. I guess I'll be home for the first week of school now, and airfares will drop by almost 50% by the time I travel, so those are all good things.

We were so hoping Hannah would be home to celebrate her 6th birthday on LABOR DAY. That won't be possible now.

HAIRBOW FUN

Tabitha had fun with Paisley and Amy. What a beautiful way to wear hairbows. Now, why didn't I think of that? :)

A GREAT SURPRISE!

We had a wonderful week. Our daughter Wendy and her family came for a visit. It ended all too soon and they are now on their way back to NC. It was so nice seeing them all again. And those grandbabies! I guess at 12 and 7 they aren't babies anymore, but they'll always be MY babies, ALL 4 OF THEM!

ANOTHER BEAUTIFUL JULY DAY!!!!

I think today is going to be an ESPECIALLY BEAUTIFUL day! Only time will tell..........................
Oh, My agency received my I-600 today.

3rd Times a Charm

Let's try this again. It's Wed. morning in Hanoi and FedEx is to deliver my I-600 to my agency by 10 AM. Cross your fingers and toes everyone! Oh, my agency wasn't closed yesterday, the girls were there ALL day! Apparently FedEx went to the wrong address.. Figures!
Oh well, nothing lost...IF THEY DON'T RETURN IT TO ME!
The police clearance isn't in yet anyhow so we're looking at filing our I-600 next week.
Maybe I'll still be home for the first day of school. Mike would be grateful for that, and so would Meg.

I Could Just SPIT NICKELS

FedEx TRIED to deliver my I-600 to my agency in Hanoi today...They were CLOSED at 4:20!!!!
I'm so angry I could spit nickels!! I know, I know, All in God's timing...ya ya , That's what I tell everyone else....But I don't like hearing it anymore than the rest of you :( Waaaaaa
I think I'll have a pity party today.

OK FEDEX...

You have a chance to redeem yourself! My second FedEx envelope arrived in Hanoi a few minutes ago and needs to be delivered to my agency TODAY! It also has an I-600 inside, ( I'm not stupid, I sent 2 just in case). Deliver it PLEASE!!!!!
We need our baby home!

WE GOT PICTURES!!!

We got new pictures of Hannah! And she's smiling!! My friend Janis just came back from Vietnam where she met our sweetie, and took pics for us. Oh, she's BEAUTIFUL when she smiles! This is the first time we've seen her smile. I wish I could share them with you, but they came snail mail :(
THANK-YOU JANIS!!

FEDEX FIASCO

^%$$%#$^%$##$#$@#$^%#$^%#&^%$&^%$
I got an email from my agency in Vietnam...NO Fedex package was delivered today.....My I-600 and Acceptance letter were in there!
Last week, I sent my Fedex to Vietnam, but realized I needed to add something to the envelope. Well, It was still in Boca, to I called and asked if the shipment could be returned to me instead of going all the way to Hanoi. She said she would try....As I am tracking my package, I see it's in Alaska..OK, that didn't work, so I send a second Fedex to Hanoi with the rest of my docs....It's to be delivered tomorrow, but it's still in Jakarta ? Today I check tracking of my first envelope...IT'S BEING RETURNED TO ME!!!!! IT'S IN HANOI!!!!!! Right by my agency, where it need to be!!! $%#@$#$@#@$%#!@$@#$
It's NOT going to be a good day!!!! and how much $$$$ are they charging me for this???? probably as much as a tank of gas :(
NO, It's not going to be a good week :( Waaaaaaaa

Well...I don't know what happened...

But my Music is GONE!! My BLOG seems so empty without my playlist.. My girls were on the Blog today and now I have no music :( I'm clueless as to what to do .

You know that you are a Floridian if…

. Socks are only for bowling.

. You never use an umbrella because you know the rain will be over in five minutes.

. A good parking space has nothing to do with distance from the store, but everything to do with shade.

. Your winter coat is made of denim.

. You can tell the difference between fire ant bites and mosquito bites

. You are younger than 30 but some of your friends are over 65.

. Anything under 70 degrees is chilly.

. Anything under 95 degrees is just warm.

. You have driven through Yee-Haw Junction.

. You can pronounce both Okeechobee & Kissimmee.

. You know that no other grocery store can compare with Publix.

. You are on first name basis with the hurricane list- they are not
Hurricane Andrew or Hurricane Frances, but Andrew, Charley, , Ivan and Jeanne.

. You know that anything under a Category 3 just isn't worth waking up for.

. You have hosted a Hurricane party.

. Your understanding of the four seasons is: Hurricane season, love bug season, tourist season and summer.

. You dread love bug season

. You think a six-foot alligator is pretty average.

. A mountain is any hill that is 100 feet above sea level.

. You have drawer/dresser (Bureau for northerners) full of bathing suits and only one sweatshirt.

. Flip-flops are everyday footwear- shoes are for business meetings and church, although you have worn flip-flops to church before.

. You have worn shorts and used you're A/C during both Christmas & New Years.

. You understand that it is better to have friend with a boat, than have a boat yourself.

. "Down South" means Key West.

. You recognize that Miami-Dade is just "Northern Cuba".

. You pass on the right and honk at the elderly.

. You think no-one over 70 should be allowed to drive.

. You have to drive north to get to "The South".

. You were at least twelve before you ever saw snow or you still have not seen snow.

. Sweet tea can be served at any meal

. You smirk (or roll your eyes) when a game show's "Grand Prize" is atrip or cruise to Florida.

. It is not soda, cola, or pop, it is coke regardless of brand- "what kinda coke you want?"

. You get angry when people say "Florida is not really part of the South"

. You've seen it rain in the front yard and not the back, or on only one side of the street

OUR SWEET HANNAH

A Little HANNAH Update

Hannah's police clearance will be complete Tuesday, just as our I-600 arrives in Hanoi. Then it's off to the US EMBASSY in HCMC for approval. Approvals can take 60-90 days, but we're praying Hannah's approval will be quick since she's 5 and not an infant.

OUR I-600 IS ON IT'S WAY TO VIETNAM!!!!!

It's been 4 months already!!

I can't believe it's been 4 months since we started paper chasing for Hannah. Time sure flies. My agency said we should have her police clearance by Tuesday, then we can file the I-600. It's getting close!
I have so much to do before I travel, just in case I actually go before school starts.
I've got to register all the kids for school, buy uniforms, school supplies, and fill the backpacks for the first day. I also have to make some room. I'm planning on switching the boys and girls rooms around, so PAINT is the word of the day...Mike just LOVES that word. I can see him cringe now. I really need to get on that soon, but, as most of you know by now, I'm the world's biggest procrastinator. My "stuff" has now been moved from the dining room table to a card table in a corner of my bedroom, staring at me. Every weekend I say I'm going to make and sell it to help fund my adoption. Hannah will be home and it will still be sitting here :( Oh well, my girls will have the most hair bows, beaded socks, and fancy sandals around! Good thing I have lots of girls!
I just figured out my problem! I used to be a list maker, I even had a list of the lists I needed! I would get up every morning, my cup of tea, paper and pen at the ready to start a new day. I slacked off and stopped making my lists, no wonder I'm floundering in a sea of chaos! That's it!! Tomorrow AM, the purple pen and pink steno pad comes out, I will sit with my delicious cup of nice hot tea, and make my lists of all I need to accomplish before Hannah comes home.
On that note, I'm off to bed, to dream of list making, before Austin and Paisley wake up as they usually do by 2 AM :(
NIGHT ALL and Thanks for being here with me :)

WAITING...WAITING...WAITING....

We're still waiting...for Hannah's police clearance to be completed. 1-2 weeks is how long it's supposed to take and time's up tomorrow! Oh that would be a great day to be notified we have the OK to file our I-600 and get our sweet girl home. We so want her home for her 6th birthday, Sept 1. which is LABOR DAY this year :) What a BLOW-OUT Celebration we would have!

SUMMERTIME

Tomorrow's the 4th of July! Summer's half over and it's barely started. Summer merchandise is on CLEARANCE, 50% off! School uniforms are being displayed, and school supplies are quickly being put on the shelves. GOODNESS, I hope I don't see HALLOWEEN stuff being put out or I'll CROAK! I'll bet WALMART will have Halloween stuff in August. I'll let you know as soon as I see it! OH NO! Meg just gave me the update... 47 days till school starts! Wait, that may not be a bad thing, Paisley will be the only child home this year!! EVERYONE else will be IN SCHOOL!!!

JULY 1, 2008
What a Beautiful day today will be!