Monday, July 06, 2009
How did this happen?
Today marks the three year anniversary of filing the paperwork for our adoption from China. It was however almost 4 years ago that we decided to bring our third child into our family through international adoption instead of pregnancy. It wasn't a difficult decision at the time but I look back at all that has happened since and know we would not have made the same choice had we to do it all again. I now have a 7.5 year old, a 6 year old and a referral no where in sight. We are taking a good hard look at the reality of our family now and will be trying to figure out if we are meant to stay the course after waiting for so many years. It is a heartbreaking process with lots of tears, anxiety, frustration and anger. The one thing I know for certain is that I love my family and will try to do right by them.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
School's Out for Summer!
kindergarten. Sniff sniff.
The day was sweet with pizza parties and long hugs goodbye.
Both kids got glowing report cards and wonderful teachers for next
year. They both have been separated from good pals next year so that
is bumming them out a little. Sweet Pea especially. She's been
stomping around the house being bratty ever since. We're hoping she
works through this soon!!
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Fathers day foibles
Well the kids an I had a clever video project in the works for SJ for
fathers day. That was until my computer ate it this afternoon forcing
me to start over.SJ decided he'd rather have our company this evening
than a present in the morning. So we are now all at a playground and
he'll get his pressy next week!
fathers day. That was until my computer ate it this afternoon forcing
me to start over.SJ decided he'd rather have our company this evening
than a present in the morning. So we are now all at a playground and
he'll get his pressy next week!
Sunday, June 14, 2009
1 Month until Bastille Day!
I know in these parts we are all getting excited to celebrate the Fourth of July. I love the 4th with all the BBQs, parades and fireworks. SJ and I also got engaged on the Fourth so it has been an extra special day for us for 13 years now. This year, right after the Fourth we fly to Paris and get to do it all over again on the 14th. Yup- 10 days after we celebrate our Independence Day, France does the same thing with their Bastille Day holiday.
I have always wanted to spend July 14th in France and am over the moon I get to do it this year. As a kid a few girl friends of mine and I would fly to Minnesota for summer camp - a French summer camp. Oh I know what you're thinking but it was regular summer camp complete with archery and crafts but we spoke French, ate French food (did you have fresh baguette at your summer camp? No? I rest my case.) and oh yeah - if you were there for the July session you also got to reenact the storming of the Bastille. It was a load of fun with the campers being divided into Royals and Peasants (I never got to be a Royal) and we had a day of dressing up, singing songs, putting people in jail (a shed turned into a prison for about 15 minutes) and then tossing them into the lake. It is an important part of French history and the counselors at Lac Du Bois did a fantastic job with all the theatrics. In case you are curious, Lac Du Bois is part of a group of language camps run by Concordia Language Villages. If you have a kid even slightly interested in foreign language, please look into these camps for a summer activity.
Found a video with a good little summary of what Bastille Day is like in Paris- take a peek if you like.
I have always wanted to spend July 14th in France and am over the moon I get to do it this year. As a kid a few girl friends of mine and I would fly to Minnesota for summer camp - a French summer camp. Oh I know what you're thinking but it was regular summer camp complete with archery and crafts but we spoke French, ate French food (did you have fresh baguette at your summer camp? No? I rest my case.) and oh yeah - if you were there for the July session you also got to reenact the storming of the Bastille. It was a load of fun with the campers being divided into Royals and Peasants (I never got to be a Royal) and we had a day of dressing up, singing songs, putting people in jail (a shed turned into a prison for about 15 minutes) and then tossing them into the lake. It is an important part of French history and the counselors at Lac Du Bois did a fantastic job with all the theatrics. In case you are curious, Lac Du Bois is part of a group of language camps run by Concordia Language Villages. If you have a kid even slightly interested in foreign language, please look into these camps for a summer activity.
Found a video with a good little summary of what Bastille Day is like in Paris- take a peek if you like.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Lost in Translation and Lost Teeth
In an effort to get everyone ready for the realities of living in a French speaking country, I am busy labeling things around the house with the french translation. My daughter is trying really hard to get the hang of the french while her smarmy brother is still claiming not to be able to read. Yet when we get to the number 20 on my long list of numbers written out in French he pronounces VINGT phonetically. Yeah, so that burst his little claim that he can't read therefore can't participate. BUSTED.
The same smarmy child uneventfully lost his first tooth last night. All of the sudden there was a stampede up the stairs with children yelling that Buddy was missing a tooth! Yes, yes, he lost is first tooth they exclaimed. SJ and I jumped up and down with them until we asked him to show us the lost tooth and he said he didn't know where it was. Here is how that went:
Mom: Buddy I am so excited for you!! Show me the tooth.
Buddy & Sweet Pea in unison: We don't know where it is!
Mom: Buddy - what do you mean you don't know where it is. Did you swallow it?
Buddy: No, I don't think so. All of the sudden Sweet Pea said I was missing a tooth.
Mom: Well what were you doing right before that?
Buddy: Eating a nectarine.
Mom: Where is the nectarine?
Buddy: In the garbage.
Mom: Okay, let's go down and take a peek in the garbage to see if the tooth is stuck in the nectarine.
Sure enough, there it was!
The same smarmy child uneventfully lost his first tooth last night. All of the sudden there was a stampede up the stairs with children yelling that Buddy was missing a tooth! Yes, yes, he lost is first tooth they exclaimed. SJ and I jumped up and down with them until we asked him to show us the lost tooth and he said he didn't know where it was. Here is how that went:
Mom: Buddy I am so excited for you!! Show me the tooth.
Buddy & Sweet Pea in unison: We don't know where it is!
Mom: Buddy - what do you mean you don't know where it is. Did you swallow it?
Buddy: No, I don't think so. All of the sudden Sweet Pea said I was missing a tooth.
Mom: Well what were you doing right before that?
Buddy: Eating a nectarine.
Mom: Where is the nectarine?
Buddy: In the garbage.
Mom: Okay, let's go down and take a peek in the garbage to see if the tooth is stuck in the nectarine.
Sure enough, there it was!
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
City of Lights
Well you may have noticed the new look here at Chez Pickles. It is still a work in progress (so if anyone knows how to change the code to center the posts give me a shout!).
If you couldn't already tell by the new header- we are going to Paris! FOR TEN WEEKS!
Yup. 10 weeks- 70 days !!! SJ will be working on a project for his company out of their Paris office for most of the summer.
Life is a bit crazy now with finding flats, signing leases, figuring out how to get dollars into Euros for such a long period of time without paying too much in conversion fees, what to do with our cat, how to pack up for such a long time away and explaining to the small people that yes, this does in fact mean you'll be missing camp this summer. Oh, and seriously brushing up on my French! Mon Dieu! My head is spinning but I can't wait to plop my butt down on that airplane. It will be such a great adventure and I am thrilled my kids are going to have this opportunity to trade in the burbs for city streets, bagels for croissants, and the word please for s'il vous plait for an entire summer.
We will be posting pictures and videos as well as skyping from over there so please join us for what will be a crazy ride this summer!
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Adoption Tax Credit Expires 2010 --HELP!
Calling all friends to please help put pressure on your Senators and Congressmen to support making the adoption credit permanent. As it stands now, the tax credit put in place in 2001 will expire in December 2010. For those of us who expected to be waiting no more than 12 months for our children but now are looking at 4 years (yes FOUR YEARS!), this could be another slap in the face when it comes to our adoption process.
Right now, adoption costs likely exceed $20,000 for each family. That is pretty tough for most people and the credit is how most people can manage to make this work. Right now the credit is $12,150 with certain limitations based on salary.
So could I ask that anyone who has come by this blog take a minute to help? We need people to write to their representatives to ask them to co-sponsor the bill that will make this credit permanent.
Here is a step-by-step guide of how to help:
1. Find the name and Washington, D.C. mailing address of your Representative and Senators at www.congress.org. To find e-mail addresses, click through to the Senator’s or Congressperson’s Web site.
2. Next, log on to http://thomas.loc.gov/ to find out whether your Congresspersons are already co-sponsors of the legislation. On the thomas.loc.gov opening page, under “Search Bill Summary and Status,” search by bill number for H.R. 213. Then click on “Bill summary and Status.” On the page that comes up, click on “Cosponsors,” “Text of Legislation,” or “All Congressional Actions” to follow the progress of the bill. (FOR ANYONE IN MA - OUR REPS ARE NOT CO-SPONSORING SO PLEASE WRITE, WRITE, WRITE!)
3. If your representatives have not signed on as co-sponsors of the bill, send them your request that they do so. Tell them how important the tax credit was to you when you adopted your children, or how much you and other families you know are counting on it to be available in the future. Emphasize that the tax credit truly results in more children finding homes. Tell them that this is so important to you that you will be following the bill’s progress through Congress.
4. INCLUDE A FAMILY PHOTO: While e-mails are valuable, a written note with a picture of your family or your children will be most effective. If sending e-mail, you’ll actually want to avoid attaching a photo; the large size of the message and the attachment could, potentially, mark it as junk or harmful e-mail.
5. If any of your Congresspersons are already co-sponsors, write them a thank-you note. Again, letters sent by snail-mail with photos of your children will receive more attention.
Here is a sample letter I found online along with the information above. If you are not a family adopting, please still write and include that you know people who are adopting and would like your representative to support giving children good and loving homes through adoption.
SAMPLE LETTER TO YOUR SENATOR or CONGRESSMAN:
The Honorable FIRST NAME LAST NAME
U.S. Senate or U.S. House of Representatives
OFFICE ADDRESS
Washington, D.C. ZIP CODE
Dear Senator LAST NAME:
My family and I are your constituents in NAME OF TOWN. We request your support of The Adoption Tax Relief Guarantee Act of 2009, H.R. 213
The adoption tax credit that this legislation would make permanent is very important to my family and me. Without this significant financial help, we would not have been able (or would have found it very difficult) to adopt our beloved son (or daughter), NAME. I include a photo of my son/daughter.
As you may know, adoption expenses can easily exceed $20,000, a significant sum to most families. (Or, if your expenses were more, say so.) Without the adoption tax credit, we would probably not be able to adopt another child.
I truly believe that the adoption expense tax credit results in many more children without homes finding new, loving families like my own.
I urge you to co-sponsor H.R. 213. This legislation is so important to me that I will be following its progress through Congress. Thank you in advance for your support of this legislation that truly serves children who need new families.
Sincerely,
YOUR NAME
Right now, adoption costs likely exceed $20,000 for each family. That is pretty tough for most people and the credit is how most people can manage to make this work. Right now the credit is $12,150 with certain limitations based on salary.
So could I ask that anyone who has come by this blog take a minute to help? We need people to write to their representatives to ask them to co-sponsor the bill that will make this credit permanent.
Here is a step-by-step guide of how to help:
1. Find the name and Washington, D.C. mailing address of your Representative and Senators at www.congress.org. To find e-mail addresses, click through to the Senator’s or Congressperson’s Web site.
2. Next, log on to http://thomas.loc.gov/ to find out whether your Congresspersons are already co-sponsors of the legislation. On the thomas.loc.gov opening page, under “Search Bill Summary and Status,” search by bill number for H.R. 213. Then click on “Bill summary and Status.” On the page that comes up, click on “Cosponsors,” “Text of Legislation,” or “All Congressional Actions” to follow the progress of the bill. (FOR ANYONE IN MA - OUR REPS ARE NOT CO-SPONSORING SO PLEASE WRITE, WRITE, WRITE!)
3. If your representatives have not signed on as co-sponsors of the bill, send them your request that they do so. Tell them how important the tax credit was to you when you adopted your children, or how much you and other families you know are counting on it to be available in the future. Emphasize that the tax credit truly results in more children finding homes. Tell them that this is so important to you that you will be following the bill’s progress through Congress.
4. INCLUDE A FAMILY PHOTO: While e-mails are valuable, a written note with a picture of your family or your children will be most effective. If sending e-mail, you’ll actually want to avoid attaching a photo; the large size of the message and the attachment could, potentially, mark it as junk or harmful e-mail.
5. If any of your Congresspersons are already co-sponsors, write them a thank-you note. Again, letters sent by snail-mail with photos of your children will receive more attention.
Here is a sample letter I found online along with the information above. If you are not a family adopting, please still write and include that you know people who are adopting and would like your representative to support giving children good and loving homes through adoption.
SAMPLE LETTER TO YOUR SENATOR or CONGRESSMAN:
The Honorable FIRST NAME LAST NAME
U.S. Senate or U.S. House of Representatives
OFFICE ADDRESS
Washington, D.C. ZIP CODE
Dear Senator LAST NAME:
My family and I are your constituents in NAME OF TOWN. We request your support of The Adoption Tax Relief Guarantee Act of 2009, H.R. 213
The adoption tax credit that this legislation would make permanent is very important to my family and me. Without this significant financial help, we would not have been able (or would have found it very difficult) to adopt our beloved son (or daughter), NAME. I include a photo of my son/daughter.
As you may know, adoption expenses can easily exceed $20,000, a significant sum to most families. (Or, if your expenses were more, say so.) Without the adoption tax credit, we would probably not be able to adopt another child.
I truly believe that the adoption expense tax credit results in many more children without homes finding new, loving families like my own.
I urge you to co-sponsor H.R. 213. This legislation is so important to me that I will be following its progress through Congress. Thank you in advance for your support of this legislation that truly serves children who need new families.
Sincerely,
YOUR NAME
Friday, April 03, 2009
Sisters
I am crying tears of joy for a friend in bloggityville who just got her referral this morning. With a 3/7/06 LID she like the rest of us 2006ers has been waiting for what feels like an eternity. I am happy to say that she got the call today and she has a baby girl and her boys have a sister! Go visit her at Adding a Sister!
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