Hi all!  I rearranged the links in ascending order from 1 – Paperchasing to 9 – Back Home for Good.  It gives me a good feeling to see PAPs in my links move ahead in the process.  It means that inevitably I will also be moving ahead too. 

 On that note, I read on another single lady’s blog that she had received an email from her agency regarding a new bill on adoption that had been introduced in Kazakhstan.  I do not know when this bill was first introduced or even what the process is in Kazakhstan for this to become law but of course it is just another thing to worry about and fear.  Please see Sam’s Kaz Blog for more information – the link is:

http://samskazbaby.blogspot.com/

If anyone out there has more info about this legislation and would like to share please feel free.  Up till now, I have done my best to block out these concerns that I can do nothing about but lately they seem to be wearing on me more than usual.  I think I am just really ready to be finished with this and unfortunately no one in Kaz is concerned with my personal state of mind so regardless I will have to just “last” some more. 

Amy – who is at level 4 – Dossier at the Ministries and trying to figure out how I will make it to level 9

“Birth and death are not two different states, but they are different aspects of the same state. There is as little reason to deplore the one as there is to be pleased over the other.” 
  —  Mahatma Gandhi

 I have noticed from my blog stalking the fact that many on this journey at some point during it seem to endure some form of loss significant to themselves.  Even at the beginning stages of my adoption process as I stayed up into the night reading hundreds of blogs from adopting parents from years as far back as 2002, I noticed a pattern developing where I would see some person, friend, relative, or animal of the adopting parent that had passed away.  The most incredible one I read about happened the day before court.  The next day after court the adoptive mother left her husband and new child behind to fly back across the world for her father’s unexpected funeral. 

Maybe it is the normal fashion of life and death that is happening and somehow I have just imbued my own feelings into the reality but I have learned over the years not to question my instinct and gut reactions.  And my gut reaction is that there is some rhyme to the reason for the loss and the subsequent gain.  What it is, I do not know.  I do not claim to have some great understanding, although I wish I did.  But I cannot ignore what to me seems fairly obvious.  For some of us on this journey, a decent amount it seems, we seem destined to lose in the process of gaining.  I find it sad because to me there would be great joy in for once “having it all.”  But maybe that is not a realistic goal for anyone about anything.   I do not know what to make of it…I like to be able to make sense out of things…it is my natural impulse.  But maybe this is one of those things I do not get to understand.  Maybe it is just something that has to be acknowledged.  Maybe it is about dealing in the best fashion “the cards that are dealt you.”  Playing the game with fierce determination, bluffing when appropriate, raising when fortuitous, and folding, if need be with grace and dignity. 

Hi All.  Please scroll down my links and click on the Meenach’s link.  They are going through some hard times right now and I think they could benefit from our concern and advice.  I am feeling very heartbroken for them.  Something here has gone terribly wrong and I wish there was some way to make it right.  Oh heck, forget about scrolling here is the link.

 http://cmmeenach.blogspot.com/

Okay it is not about me.  Which would be nice but I can wait.  However…..the following things are happening:

 Christy is in flight heading towards Aktobe as we speak – she should be there by tomorrow and we should hear of her first visit to the baby house.  Please everyone say a prayer for her that she is introduced to the child she is meant to meet!

Kim is waiting to hear from Alla about where exactly in the region of Karaganda she is going and exactly when.

 Suzanne and Matt found out that their dossier was approved by the Embassy and is on its way to the MFA today!!  I swear they are going to get to Kaz before all of us!  And that is perfectly okay by me as well!  They have waited long enough.

Very exciting news and very encouraging for those of us sitting on the bench, so to speak. 

I am excited because after working on CPs bedroom and playroom for what seems like forever – I am down to 5 more 12 hour workdays in there and I should be done!!!!!  I will post pictures of both rooms by the end of the year!!!  To date I have primed and painted white the:

dresser, mirror, desk, desk chair, end table, little table under the window, two window cornices, tall bookcase, short bookcase, child table and four chairs (originally painted black….AAARGH!!!  who the heck paints a child’s table and chairs black?  Was it Damien’s table and chairs?  7 coats it took), storage dresser, and toy box. 

I am a priming and painting machine.  Is there anything you would like painted white?  I am your gal.  It all looks beautiful!  And I am so darn glad to not have to paint anything else white.  Of course I still have to paint the playroom but that is not going to be white!!! 

At least I am pretty sure it is not going to be white…..moan, sigh, moan again, barely audible whimpering.

Hi All!  In case you missed my earlier post (can’t have that) Kim got news of her LOI!  More info should be forthcoming on Monday. 

Dawn who is in Ust right now just had her court date and got a positive approval from the Judge.  You can read her exact experience in court on today’s post on her blog at:

 http://www.kazquest.blogspot.com/

For those family and friends following along this is exactly what I am going to be doing soon (I hope)and possibily dealing with the same people.  Her experience sounds pretty good…sometimes you can get a tougher Judge or Prosecutor that can make things more difficult but it seems this region has fair and reasonable people and I am so relieved that she made it through court just fine.  She is single and I was worried that she might have a harder time of it because of that.

Yeah Kim!!! Yeah Kim!!!! Yeah Kim!!!!!  She is supposed to find out more information on Monday…like exactly where she is heading!!!!  And when!!!!!  Doing the happy dance for Kim!!!!    You all should see her cute baby room.  It is colorful and big and so pretty.  YEAAAAAAAAAAAH KIM!!!!  I have goosebumps!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Oh how will Kim ever make it until Monday?  Sheesh how will I make it till Monday?  YEAH KIM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 Do you think I use the old exclamation point too much?  NO!!! I DON’T THINK SO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

sing with me folks…”it’s raining LOI’s, hallelujah, ……it’s raining LOI’s, hallelujah….”  okay I forget the rest of the words to the song but you get the idea – seems like things are still moving along in Kaz!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A heartfelt congratulations to Christy who got her LOI yesterday and will be going to Aktobe (Aqtobe) very shortly!!!  Yeaaaahhhh Christy!

Hi folks!  Check out The Buettner’s Blog…they just arrived in Kaz.  I am trying to find a way to change my text color from black to green since I am green with envy over the speed with which they traversed their journey.  But of course very happy for them!  It is amazing to see how different each of our journey’s are and important to remember we all will go when it is our time.  I keep telling myself this over and over and over again!  LOL.  Check out their blog and tell me what you think.  Did I misread their timeline or did their timeline look like greased lightning?  Very impressive.  It seems that their agency uses the in country services of the three sisters (same as WPA) so that is good news.  And their little girl is a cutie!  Congratulations Buettner’s!!   

http://www.ksdk.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=134134

 Another article

http://russia.adoptionblogs.com/index.php/weblogs/documents-forged-at-children-s-hope