Home!

First, let me tell you...the trip home? Yeah, it sucked. First off...WTF is with the security at the Guatemala airport? Hate it, hate it, hate it. On the visit trip they confiscated our matches because, you know, you weren't allowed to have lighters. Matches, yes. Lighters, no. I guess they were confused. On the p/u trip I figured that they would have gotten the memo that lighters are now allowed and there wouldn't be an issue. Except, again, they confiscated the matches and the lighters. Well, not mine...I was prepared and had the damn things in my pocket, but they got Roni's. The actual flight? Kevin did great on the take-off. He was actually smiling like it was a ride. But, then. Gah! He was past his nap time and was fighting sleep every step of the way which made him miserable. Crying? Uh-huh. For hours. The only time he quieted down was when the meal was served. He LOVES real (meaning not baby) food. He has no teeth, but they are oh-so-close. Drool everywhere. Gave him some Tylenol hoping, nay, praying he'd go to sleep. Yeah. About a half hour before landing in Atlanta. Not to mention the "weather", as the pilot put it, that we had to fly through. Holy crap. Pretty bad turbulence. Visions of crashing dancing through my head while singing the song "isn't it ironic" in my head. So, we land in Atlanta having to wake Kevin up. That sucked because he normally takes long naps and now he's twice as tired. Immigration? Not a problem. It was fairly quick, smooth, and the officers were friendly. Problem? We didn't check to see if our gate was changed before we went to it. We go to the supposed gate about a half hour before the flight. This is where I start having an anxiety attack. The gate was in a whole other concourse. Fuck. It was just one concourse over so we figured we could walk. Uh-huh. Except we walked in the wrong direction. Dumb ass. So now we're two concourses away from our gate and there's, like, 10 minutes until departure. We jumped on the train (thank God for the train)...BTW? If you've never been in the Atlanta airport? Huge. Luckily the plane was boarding late and we got there just as they were boarding rather than, say, taking off. So there is cranky Kevin who wailed like somebody was poking pins in him for about and hour and 20 minutes of the hour and 40 minute flight. Nothing would soothe him. He was so overtired and fought it tooth and nail. Screaming? You could say that. I felt so bad for him and guilty about the passengers that, I'm sure, wanted to open the door and toss our asses out. In the last 20 minutes, he fell asleep. So, now we land and he wakes up. Again. I put him in the carrier and he was good to go. We went to get our luggage and, lo and behold, 2 out of 3 of our bags are MIA. All of the clothes that actually fit Kevin were in one of the missing bags. My computer cords (because I was trying to take my laptop, but, thankfully couldn't) are in the other along with our clothes, of course. I wound up not taking my video camera, either, or that would have been in one of the missing suitcases, also. It was the travel day from hell. By the time we got home, it was after 12:30AM. My mom was here and we had to wake Katie up to meet Kevin because she made us promise that we would. By the time he would fall asleep, it was about 2:30AM. The poor boy. We were all exhausted by this point. I had been up for almost 23 hours by the time I went to bed and Roni was about the same.

This morning he woke up smiling and happy and we had a good day. My sister and her kids and my brother and his wife came to meet Kevin tonight. Naturally, they're all in love.

Now, here's a few pics from the trip....

Finally over!

Hi all! The Embassy appointment was today and, I have to say, my agency made it completely painless. Have I mentioned how I love them? Tomorrow we´ll have Kevin´s Visa and late Wednesday night we´ll be home sweet home. I can´t wait!

T-minus 12 hours

and we leave for the airport. It doesn't feel real. 21 1/2 hours and I'll have my son? Forever? WOW!

I'm freaking out just a bit about the layover in Atlanta on the way back. Some people are talking like it would be better to walk through the fires of hell than to go through there with a 2 hour and 10 minute layover. Not much I can do about it now, so I guess we'll just have to go with whatever happens. Kevin is an unknown equation, though. How will he be on the flight(s)? How will he be if we're...as I'm imagining...sprinting through the airport to catch the next flight? How's he going to be after traveling all damn day and getting home at 11:30 at night? As my sister says..."he'll be how he'll be and you'll deal." Yeah, we will.

I don't think we're taking the laptop, so I'll catch you all on the flip side!

Surprise visit pics...

...and, OMG, he's sitting up all by himself! *sniffle*

Am I really coming home?

Seriously?!

I can't believe it!

Come get me Mommy...

...and we'll fly on home!!!!

I went to work today and filled out the FMLA paperwork...9 weeks away from there!...and had them put Kevin on my insurance. The insurance company was kind enough to make it effective on September 1st so I don't have to retro pay the whole month of August. They are going by the day I take custody of him rather than the date of his BC in order to do this. Such a pleasant surprise!

We set up/put together his pack-n-play and high chair today, also. Now to pack....

YeeHaw!

PINK!!!!!!

I got the call about an hour, or so, ago. I don't even have the email, yet, because my CM wanted to call me because we have to fly out Friday! Holy crap! The appointment is Monday morning (I don't know what time, yet...gotta wait for the email). We'll fly home Wednesday. Nothing but middle seats left on the plane...I wonder how those around me are going to deal with the little one...

....And so we wait

I feel about half sick with nerves today. A few people who were submitted for PINK at the same time as Kevin got their PINK yesterday. All three of their appointments are for Monday! Not a lot of time to get down there, especially when the agency only brings the babies Mon-Fri, which means flying in Friday because the appointments are early in the morning! Yikes! Nothing to do but wait until this evening to see if I got PINK today. I'm hoping the appointment is for Tuesday and not Monday, if I do get it. I did receive his BC in my email this morning so I can add him to my insurance. That whole process makes me nervous because, of course, the BC is in Spanish and who knows if the insurance company is going to be a twit, or not. Sigh.

Next week is the week

I just know it! I'm convinced that PINK is going to be here next week. Anyone want to guess which day (PINKs are not issued on Fridays)? I'm guessing...Tuesday. Now, which week will the appointment be? The week of the 27th or the 4th? It would be ironic if it fell the week of Labor Day because 2 years ago, on Labor Day weekend, I began my journey to have a child (TTC through AI) and joined a "buddy group" called Labor Day O'ers on a TTC board. I made wonderful friends on that board who were so supportive. I am still in touch with some via email.

But, I digress.

I'm hoping it's the week of the 27th, but maybe fate is playing a part here, too.

Am I a sap?

Guess what I did today!

I finished painting the walls in the dining room! Oh, yes, I did. Mmmmm-hmmmm. But. Now you knew there was a "but", didn't you? I pushed the computer desk back against the wall (yes, my computer is in my dining room) and looked up. I still have to do the ever-lovin' edging on the ceiling! Ack! Well, it's not getting done today. Yes, I know that comes as a huge shock because I'm normally not the procrastinating type and if you read this blog at all, you know that is a big fat lie! I have a good reason, though. Uh-huh. Not only did I paint the walls, but I also did another thing I despise today. I harvested my field mowed my grass! I'm exhausted. Cut me some slack.

Rachel, you rock!

Today I received in the mail from my dear (but never met because we met on a TTC board and were trying to quit smoking together-she succeeded & I failed) friend, Rachel, 8 outfits for Kevin. After mucho complaining that I didn't have enough 3-6 month clothes for him, we are now set for the pickup trip! WooHoo! Thanks, Rach!

It's tough being short...

I stand all of 5'1". This presents problems at times for which I need to be creative. In the store, if an item is too high on a shelf, I will step on the bottom shelf to get it. At times, if even that won't work because I guess everyone must be at least 5'6", Roni's cane has come in quite handy. I hold it by the bottom and hook an item with the rubber handle. Hey, ya gotta do what ya gotta do. Well, today I bought a new baby carrier. It's a side carrier that I thought would be nice so my hip could hold some of Kevin's weight and not have him dangling just under my chin and killing my back like the other one I have. Except. It didn't have a disclaimer saying that you really need to be taller to use it. I threw the strap over my shoulder and buckled the lumbar support strap around my waist. Uh-huh. The strap that goes over the shoulder is supposed to cross over your back and under your opposite arm so the carrier sits at your hip. Uh-huh. I should have taken a picture. The strap that goes under a normal average size woman's arm was up in my armpit making my arm stick out from my side. The supposed lumbar support? Yeah. Well. That landed about mid-thigh on me. Roni suggested putting on my hip instead of, you know, my lumbar area, so I tried that. Sigh. If there was an actual baby in it, he'd be taller than I. I kid. But not by much. There I was with my right arm sticking straight out and the carrier itself blocking my face. Not going to work. Nope. I hope he likes the stroller...

Thrumming again...

So....there's a woman on the a.com message board that I'm basically stalking because she actually has spoken with LabCorp regarding her DNA testing. Her test was done on the 8th (same as Kevin's) and arrived in Guatemala on the 10th. The lab told her the processing of her test was Monday and she has posted that the results were on its way back to Guatemala YESTERDAY. If you figure 2 days to get back, they'll be there tomorrow. It's supposed to be 1-2 days after the embassy receives them that PINK is issued. Friday? Monday? Gah! I'm as tense as a guitar string all over again!

Well, we basically finished his nursery area last night. Curtains are hung, Pooh decals are on the wall...I say "nursery area" because, for right now, he is sharing my bedroom. My bedroom is huge and I sectioned off an area to make it his until the addition is added onto the house. Unfortunately, that won't be until I get my income tax refund, but this'll work for now...I still have to put his bedding on and change the knobs on his dresser, but it's coming together...

Not an issue

The word came on Saturday. As things in this process are wont to do for me. It appears that the embassy is only closed for submissions from lawyers during those dates. Don't know why. So now my eye is trained on next week, again, to get PINK. This week is going to drag by...maybe I can, oh I don't know, finish painting the dining room?! Get a high chair?! Buy some 3-6 month bottoms for Kevin?! (I really thought he'd be in 6-9 months clothes by now and I have a bunch of those, but at only 13 lbs 5ozs, I need a couple of smaller sizes I think?) Note to self: Tam, seriously, what are you waiting for? He's going to be home in a couple of weeks!

No word, yet

Well, I haven't heard, yet, about the embassy and the possible closing dates of 8/20-8/23. I know my agency's director is very busy right now and I'm sure word will come as soon as she's able.

I am getting a little nervous because I realized that our fingerprints expire in October. If I don't have an appointment soon, I'll fret...yes, I said "fret"...over needing to get them done again.

Well, signing off for another weekend....I hope you all enjoy yours!

Put into perspective....

I feel awful. I've been whining, bitching, and moaning about a delay in picking Kevin up. I have just had a slap in the face regarding my selfish ramblings and I feel guilty as hell. One of the women from my agency's board just got her 2nd KO at over 8 weeks for each one in PGN. It brought tears to my eyes to see that post and gave me a huge wake up call to be grateful at Kevin's relatively smooth process.

I'm so sorry.

I'm trying to hold off on throwing a fit until confirmation...

...but, ohmysweetGod, I don't know how much more freakin' aggravation I can take.

A moment of silence, please, for my sanity.

Word has it that the embassy may be closed from 8/20-8/23. If that's the case, there's no PINK for me that week and I'll have to wait yet another life-sucking-bleedin' week until there's a chance for PINK to be issued. That would make travel the 1st or 2nd week in September. Gah! Ack! Ugh! Is this punishment for not finishing the damn dining room yet? Shut up.

Tomorrow is the day we're supposed to have the answer as to whether, or not, this is true.

I know the US Embassy in Guatemala never gets a day off. Yeah, OK, I'm being facetious. Check out their days off:

January 1 New Year's Day (A&G)
January 15 Martin Luther King's Birthday (A)
February 19 Presidents Day (A)
April 5 Holy Thursday (G)
April 6 Good Friday (G)
April 7 Holy Saturday (G)
April 8 Easter (G)
May 1 Guatemalan Labor Day (G)
May 28 Memorial Day (A)
June 30 Army Day (G)
July 4 U.S. Independence Day (A)
August 15 Feast of the Assumption (G)
September 3 U.S. Labor Day (A)
September 15 C.A. Independence Day(G)
October 8 Columbus Day (A)
October 20 Revolution Day (G)
November 1 All Saints Day (G)
November 12 Veteran's Day (A)
November 22 Thanksgiving Day (A)
December 24 Christmas Eve (G - Half Day)
December 25 Christmas Observed (A&G)
December 31 New Year's Eve (G - Half Day)

Now, I'm assuming they also get vacation days. Wouldn't you just love a job with that many days off in a year?!

As I was saying...since they never get a day off, they're probably going to name these days off as "Let's screw with those newly submitted and waiting for DNA results for PINK parents because we can (BwaHaHaHaHa)" days.

Fuckers.

Excellent point, Jess!

My agency friend, Jess, posted a great point on a thread yesterday about Kevin's DNA test. She said "at least they shouldn't be backed up" (meaning the lab). That really made me smile because that is one bright side to being one of the first batches to go through this step. How far behind can they get this soon?

Today is the day that I'm going to finish painting the dining room! It's been, like, forever since I started it. It's almost done. Really. I'm starting to panic about how much shit stuff I need to get done before the trip and my mother comes to stay with Katie, Cassie, and Annie (kid, Pug, and Border Collie).

I've made the sad, but I believe necessary, decision that I have to take the Rottie to the SPCA (I got her from there and signed a contract that, if I ever had to give her up, I'd take her back there). She has become too temperamental to trust around Kevin. She even snapped at the vet on her last visit and wound up muzzled. She has never done that before and my vet was shocked. My vet tried her on meds to see if it would help, but it didn't. The whole thing makes my heart very heavy because I am an animal loving freak (see my mouse post), but I don't want to wait until she actually does something to the baby to make the move. I feel awful.

OK, Alrighty, here we go...

I just got an update from my agency. Kevin has been submitted for PINK and his 2nd DNA sample is being sent to the US for testing today! My agency director is guessing that, if all goes well, we'll have PINK the week of the 20th. Since I'm in one of the very first groups that this is being done on, there's no precedent to look at, so it's not a sure thing. If we do get PINK that week, I expect to travel the last week of August.

Now, do I gamble and tell work that I probably will start my LOA the weekend of the 25th/26th (if my appointment is early in the week, I'd probably be traveling that weekend) or do I wait until I actually get PINK? A quandary...

6 month doctor visit

Tonight I received Kevin's 6 month doctor visit update. He's doing well developmentally and is trying to sit up from a lying down position! He didn't gain as much weight this month as he normally does, though. Enjoy the pictures!

Moving on...

...because, basically, I have no choice. I received an update from my agency this weekend and, not surprisingly, I wasn't submitted for PINK yet. They expect that Kevin's BC will be back this week and they'll get his passport and then submit for PINK. He COULD be submitted next week, which is actually the timeline I was guessing at originally. My agency, who I love BTW, said that they will do their part and make sure that the DNA will be obtained the same day that they get the authorization in the hope that the delay will be minimized as much as possible. Maybe, just maybe, we'll travel the last week in August...

Well, this sucks...

The official word is in. The new requirement is effective starting August 6th. There is no way I've been submitted for PINK already, so Kevin being in my arms forever has been delayed by 1-2 weeks. Now it's looking like September for pickup and I'm pissed. Some people are taking that news better than I, but MOST of them are either already home or early in the process. If I was still even in PGN, this wouldn't sound that bad. It's all a matter of perspective, I guess. When you thought you were just mere weeks from bringing your child home, and then find out that it's more like a month or 5 weeks, it pisses you off. Or, at least, it pisses me off. ACK! I need to go lick my wounds...