The deadline has been removed from the EI petition blog and it now has no end date. I had been quietly hoping for 1,500. It jumped a lot in the last day so somebody has a lot of friends and family that has got wind of this. If you haven't signed this please do so. I sent it to my agency and to a woman at AFABC who has been most helpful in my journey so far. Children joining families through adoption are every bit in need of time with their new parents and families. Please pass this on to anybody you know who you think might sign it. I am going to send it to my local Status of Women committee and hope they will take it up and ask members to sign it. It seems such a human rights issue and something that they might be interested in supporting. If you have already signed the petition, thank you.
Still no news on my fingerprints!!!!!! I can't do anything else until I get them back. My advice to other families, although these are time sensitive, start them early. Don't be in the position that I'm in where they are holding you up!
Oh, I forgot to post that I started my shots last Thursday night. I went to the travel clinic and got my first Hep A & Hep B as well as an MMR booster. I go back in a month for my second Hep A & Hep B as well as Typhoid. I also need rabies and yellow fever but will post more later. I need to go through the book again and see what else I need. Some of the shots can't be given at the same time as they are considered live vaccines.
Monday, 30 January 2012
Wednesday, 25 January 2012
Catherine's version of a Canadian dragon cake! Much cheaper and still as effective.
I didn't make that beautiful dragon cake I posted about last week for my students. It was going to be way too expensive and I didn't think I'd be allowed to claim $50-$60 if not more of candy. Last night Catherine, from Catherine's Chatter posted the dragon cake that was made for the children that her daughter celebrated Chinese New Year with! Now, why didn't I think of that! As Chinese New Year almost always falls around Valentines Day the candy hearts are readily available. Next year maybe my students will get lucky! Not much news to report except I made a phone call to the attorney general's office in Victoria yesterday and spoke with an extremely kind and helpful lady. I am posting from school and wonder whether my crim check is waiting for me at home ? ? ? I doubt it, but one can hope. Off to a waiting parents information meeting tonight about adopting from the Ministry. Tomorrow is travel clinic day and the first round of shots!
Saturday, 21 January 2012
Tired, Frustrated and Fed-Up.
Three people this week have told me I sound more positive, relaxed and up-beat. Only one of them spoke to me tonight!!!!! Thanks C for letting me vent.
To buy or not to buy, that is the question (My keyboard has gone into European mode and I can`t get a question mark) Yesterday I was rather stupid because I went to Kidsbooks and spent a nice sum of money on books for the child I don't have yet. The bookstore had a 20% off sale but I lost all benefit of that when I returned to the car and found I had a parking ticket! There are many books written for children, primarily little girls, about adoption from China. I refuse to buy these as although the message is appropriate the illustrations aren't. I bought a couple of Todd Parr books, a photo book on adoption, a book on families and a game. I also got a non-fiction book called, "Happpy Birthday" but couldn't find it on the Kidsbooks website so the link is to Amazon. It is a book that explains the different components of birthdays in a really clear and simple way. For a child that maybe hasn't celebrated many birthdays it explains a lot of things.
We had a lovely staff social after school and should do this more often. It was very easy to plan, a team effort and a fun way to relax and visit with colleagues. I was doing okay until I checked my email before leaving school. Needless to say I came home, curled up in my chair and read for two hours before making a run to London Drugs. My feet have been really bad today and standing has been very painful. I don`t think the tennis ball exercise my physio has given me is helping.
Some how I didn't publish this from my laptop at 1:00 in the morning. Here it is from my desktop!
To buy or not to buy, that is the question (My keyboard has gone into European mode and I can`t get a question mark) Yesterday I was rather stupid because I went to Kidsbooks and spent a nice sum of money on books for the child I don't have yet. The bookstore had a 20% off sale but I lost all benefit of that when I returned to the car and found I had a parking ticket! There are many books written for children, primarily little girls, about adoption from China. I refuse to buy these as although the message is appropriate the illustrations aren't. I bought a couple of Todd Parr books, a photo book on adoption, a book on families and a game. I also got a non-fiction book called, "Happpy Birthday" but couldn't find it on the Kidsbooks website so the link is to Amazon. It is a book that explains the different components of birthdays in a really clear and simple way. For a child that maybe hasn't celebrated many birthdays it explains a lot of things.
We had a lovely staff social after school and should do this more often. It was very easy to plan, a team effort and a fun way to relax and visit with colleagues. I was doing okay until I checked my email before leaving school. Needless to say I came home, curled up in my chair and read for two hours before making a run to London Drugs. My feet have been really bad today and standing has been very painful. I don`t think the tennis ball exercise my physio has given me is helping.
Some how I didn't publish this from my laptop at 1:00 in the morning. Here it is from my desktop!
Wednesday, 18 January 2012
Follow-up to the dragon cake and an two after-school friends
See the previous post for the Chinese New Year dragon cake. One candy store in Vancouver sells M&M's by colour. They are $3 for 100g or $65 for a 5 lb bag. I am reconsidering the cake!!!!!! Any ideas for substitutions for coloured M&M's would be greatly appreciated. I am not talented enough to pipe icing or else that would work.
I had a very pleasant surprise after school. A former parent and friend stopped by to see how things were going and she brought her adorable cocker-spaniel with her. I haven't seen him for a long time so it was lovely to spoil him with a couple treats. Murphy is getting on in age but certainly remembered me. He loves to be loved! You couldn't find a gentler more loving dog anywhere. He remembered the "shake a paw" trick and raised his paw for a shake without even asking! I love you Murphy. Thanks J for coming by. I truly appreciate your support and hope you one day you will be able to meet my little one.
I had a very pleasant surprise after school. A former parent and friend stopped by to see how things were going and she brought her adorable cocker-spaniel with her. I haven't seen him for a long time so it was lovely to spoil him with a couple treats. Murphy is getting on in age but certainly remembered me. He loves to be loved! You couldn't find a gentler more loving dog anywhere. He remembered the "shake a paw" trick and raised his paw for a shake without even asking! I love you Murphy. Thanks J for coming by. I truly appreciate your support and hope you one day you will be able to meet my little one.
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| Murphy on the playground after school |
Have a good evening and keep warm!!!!
Chinese New Year Dragon Cake
Chinese New Year is a big deal to Vancouver. We have so many students and families at my school that celebrate that when I read how to make this dragon cake on another blog I thought I might try! "Catherine's Chatter" had a link to the blog which happened to open on the dragon cake post. Click on dragon cake to see how! The directions are very straightforward and their are photos of each step. All I need to find are the bags of yellow, orange and red M&M's and then I'm set.
Tuesday, 17 January 2012
Citizenship and Immunizations Update
Yesterday I arrived home to find a letter from Citizenship and Immigration Canada dated Jan. 9 to say they had received my application for Part 1. They estimate it will take 15 weeks for me to hear of a decision. I figure this will be late April. The adoption must then be completed within two years of the date of the decision. Apparently I don't need this confirmation until the second trip so I think this will work out for me. Some people have blogged that this process could take up to nine months! I love that it will be sooner but wonder if it has to do with a decrease in the number of international adoptions. For example, in March the processing rate in Ethiopia dropped by 95%! It has increased some but the waitlist is still long!
Yesterday I also received a newspaper article from my parents. My dad enjoys reading the Weekend Finacial Times and gets it from Chapters every weekend. Last weekend there was an article by a single, 44 year old journalist named Kate Burgess who lives in London and adopted a child from Russia. My adooption story is quite similiar to hers so far and it doesn't seem things are any easier in the UK than they are here. The only difference at this point is the age of the child. I had actually investigated the UK as an option last spring as I was born there and lived there until I was 15. I wondered if it would be any easier but one has to be a resident and from Kate's story the children available domestically there have much the same needs as our children in care in B.C. It is definitely worth reading. The online version outlines the costs that the print version didn't! I think it is great she wrote such an article. I believe we need to share our stories to support each other but more importantly to help provide children with loving, caring, supportive forever homes.
Today I arrived home after a very long day (union meeting after school) to find an envelope at my door, a priority post package. I thought I knew what it was and it was. It was a wonderful letter of reference from some very dear friends in Quesnel. My other friend in Quesnel also wrote a lovely letter, as did a friend locally. I look forward to introducing my child to all these very special people and can't believe how fortunate he or she will be to have so many aunties and uncles. Thank you K&R P., SC, and CC. I love you all.
Yesterday I also took the first step in dealing with all the shots I need. I made an appointment for a consultation at the travel clinic next Thursday. All I can say is it is a good job I don't have a needle phobia! I will list the details later! I think I mentioned the cost of these shots is significantly greater than I had anticipated!
I am thinking of adding a page to this blog outlining the process step by step: application to agency, home study and AEP, deciding which route to go, dossier, immunizations (I've found a good website), my Ontario agency,etc. I am also thinking of a page where I write about my decision to adopt and later my letters to my child.
Yesterday I also received a newspaper article from my parents. My dad enjoys reading the Weekend Finacial Times and gets it from Chapters every weekend. Last weekend there was an article by a single, 44 year old journalist named Kate Burgess who lives in London and adopted a child from Russia. My adooption story is quite similiar to hers so far and it doesn't seem things are any easier in the UK than they are here. The only difference at this point is the age of the child. I had actually investigated the UK as an option last spring as I was born there and lived there until I was 15. I wondered if it would be any easier but one has to be a resident and from Kate's story the children available domestically there have much the same needs as our children in care in B.C. It is definitely worth reading. The online version outlines the costs that the print version didn't! I think it is great she wrote such an article. I believe we need to share our stories to support each other but more importantly to help provide children with loving, caring, supportive forever homes.
Today I arrived home after a very long day (union meeting after school) to find an envelope at my door, a priority post package. I thought I knew what it was and it was. It was a wonderful letter of reference from some very dear friends in Quesnel. My other friend in Quesnel also wrote a lovely letter, as did a friend locally. I look forward to introducing my child to all these very special people and can't believe how fortunate he or she will be to have so many aunties and uncles. Thank you K&R P., SC, and CC. I love you all.
Yesterday I also took the first step in dealing with all the shots I need. I made an appointment for a consultation at the travel clinic next Thursday. All I can say is it is a good job I don't have a needle phobia! I will list the details later! I think I mentioned the cost of these shots is significantly greater than I had anticipated!
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| copyright: istockphoto.com/Jamesmcq24 |
I am thinking of adding a page to this blog outlining the process step by step: application to agency, home study and AEP, deciding which route to go, dossier, immunizations (I've found a good website), my Ontario agency,etc. I am also thinking of a page where I write about my decision to adopt and later my letters to my child.
Sunday, 15 January 2012
Saturday was a huge day! This is for real! Immunizations!!!!
I didn't sleep well on Friday night as I was heading to the bank on Saturday morning. I needed money from my tax-free savings account to pay the stage two local agency fees I had put on my poor VISA, that I am now praying won't melt down!!!!!! I also had to take the fees for the agency in Ontario out of my mutual funds. To some people the amount may not seem too huge, but to me it was enormous. Talk about an anxiety attack! It will take a couple of days for these amounts to show up in my savings account. There is no going back once I send that check to Ontario. Don't get me wrong, I certainly don't want to stop the process, but this is a significant step in the process! The agency in Ontario hold the money in an escrow account so hopefully they won't need anymore. Payment upfront like this is almost easier for me as I can see what I have left to work with.
Still trying to figure out this laptop. I fully charged it and it said it had 3 hours and 57 minutes. Almost deasd on the four hours in the list of specs. How come then after 15 minutes of surfing the net it is down to one hour and 47 minutes. I think I'll be back to my desk top soon or at least using this plugged in.
OMG! The strangest thing just happened. The thing beeped and then it went into a mode all by itself, updated Windows and then shut down. It didn't even give me a chance to save this post and didn't reopen to it!
My dad gave me a tour book on my country for Christmas. He found it quite by accident at Chapters while looking for the new Michelin guide to London. Let's just say travel, food and accomodation to my country will be a very different experience than Michelin travel. I was amazed he found such a book. I spent sometime reading it over Christmas and immunizations have been at the back of my mind since then.
Now that I have got my citizenship, crimminal check and fingerprints off I can focus on the next several tasks. First, to sort out this Form A. Secondly to print out the agreement with the agency in Ontario, sign it and then get a cashier's cheque from the bank. Third to look at the immunizations I need and contact the travel clinic. The list is very long and costly!!!! Who knew rabies shots were a series of three at over $200 a piece! I will post a long, detailed list in the next couple of days when I have contacted the clinic. First approximate estimate is over $1,000 for shots! Holy cow! I don't know how many needles this will be but I will certainly leave here very well protected. I will also be a walking pharmacy with the meds they tell you to take. I need to get started on the shots a.s.a.p. as some of them are a series of three or four and need to be given a certain length of time apart. Not knowing when the first trip is makes things a little bit harder, but it could be as soon as two to three months from submitting my dossier. The first trip is 7-10 days. I am not too worried about malaria or yellow fever, as things like Hep B, traveller's diarrhoea, giardia, Dengue fever and leishmaniasis are of greater concern and much easier to contract. The rabies shots are a must as about 18 months ago I was bitten by a German Shepard on the Iona Point jetty. I only walked past the dog and it lunged at my arm. Thank goodness, despite it being summer time I had a fleece jacket on as the result was not pretty. I didn't require stitches but the bruising was pretty ugly. It would be my luck that pool-side at the hotel or walking around the market another animal decided I looked pretty yummy and went for a taste!
With this laptop I am having trouble minimizing this page, go to another site, copy the URL and then come back and paste it. I wanted to make a link for the Iona Jetty for all you non-Vancouver followers. The jetty is about 4-5km long and you can walk out and back surrounded by water on both sides while watching planes land or take-off. I've only ever walked all the way out and back once! Come spring I need to put the bike rack on my car and try riding it.
I am now on the hunt for a travel partner. I don't want to make the trip alone, especially the first one and am not sure how to find one. It is made harder by the fact that whoever comes with me would most likely need to take time off work. I can pay airfare and shared accomodation - I don't snore. On Friday I paniced and thought my travel partner needs the same series of shots! I need to find somebody soon. Please contact me if you have any ideas or are interested.
On my first trip I had thought of taking a suitcase or two full of toys or clothes or medical supplies for the orphange as Shauna did when she went to Ethiopia (My Greatest Adventure) but don't know whether I'd be as lucky as she was with the free extra baggage allowance (see Roy). Maybe I need to ask a few of the parents at school that work for Air Canada if they can help. This will get me as far as Toronto. Then maybe the other airline will appreciate and reward my act of kindness. In my travel book there is a link to a website www.stuffyourrucksack.com that I want to check out. It would be lovely to be able to take supplies of one form or another to help out the children's home. Gotta to go before this dies on me. It doesn't lose power minute for minute!
In Shauna's post about maternity leave she says we get a year here in Canada. You do if you give birth but not if you adopt. That's what the EI petition is all about!!!! I hope the gal in Toronto is able to do something with it. I had hoped to see it reach 1,500! Thank you to all those of you who signed it and passed it on to others to sign. It shouldn't even be an issue in a country like ours!
Still trying to figure out this laptop. I fully charged it and it said it had 3 hours and 57 minutes. Almost deasd on the four hours in the list of specs. How come then after 15 minutes of surfing the net it is down to one hour and 47 minutes. I think I'll be back to my desk top soon or at least using this plugged in.
OMG! The strangest thing just happened. The thing beeped and then it went into a mode all by itself, updated Windows and then shut down. It didn't even give me a chance to save this post and didn't reopen to it!
My dad gave me a tour book on my country for Christmas. He found it quite by accident at Chapters while looking for the new Michelin guide to London. Let's just say travel, food and accomodation to my country will be a very different experience than Michelin travel. I was amazed he found such a book. I spent sometime reading it over Christmas and immunizations have been at the back of my mind since then.
Now that I have got my citizenship, crimminal check and fingerprints off I can focus on the next several tasks. First, to sort out this Form A. Secondly to print out the agreement with the agency in Ontario, sign it and then get a cashier's cheque from the bank. Third to look at the immunizations I need and contact the travel clinic. The list is very long and costly!!!! Who knew rabies shots were a series of three at over $200 a piece! I will post a long, detailed list in the next couple of days when I have contacted the clinic. First approximate estimate is over $1,000 for shots! Holy cow! I don't know how many needles this will be but I will certainly leave here very well protected. I will also be a walking pharmacy with the meds they tell you to take. I need to get started on the shots a.s.a.p. as some of them are a series of three or four and need to be given a certain length of time apart. Not knowing when the first trip is makes things a little bit harder, but it could be as soon as two to three months from submitting my dossier. The first trip is 7-10 days. I am not too worried about malaria or yellow fever, as things like Hep B, traveller's diarrhoea, giardia, Dengue fever and leishmaniasis are of greater concern and much easier to contract. The rabies shots are a must as about 18 months ago I was bitten by a German Shepard on the Iona Point jetty. I only walked past the dog and it lunged at my arm. Thank goodness, despite it being summer time I had a fleece jacket on as the result was not pretty. I didn't require stitches but the bruising was pretty ugly. It would be my luck that pool-side at the hotel or walking around the market another animal decided I looked pretty yummy and went for a taste!
With this laptop I am having trouble minimizing this page, go to another site, copy the URL and then come back and paste it. I wanted to make a link for the Iona Jetty for all you non-Vancouver followers. The jetty is about 4-5km long and you can walk out and back surrounded by water on both sides while watching planes land or take-off. I've only ever walked all the way out and back once! Come spring I need to put the bike rack on my car and try riding it.
I am now on the hunt for a travel partner. I don't want to make the trip alone, especially the first one and am not sure how to find one. It is made harder by the fact that whoever comes with me would most likely need to take time off work. I can pay airfare and shared accomodation - I don't snore. On Friday I paniced and thought my travel partner needs the same series of shots! I need to find somebody soon. Please contact me if you have any ideas or are interested.
On my first trip I had thought of taking a suitcase or two full of toys or clothes or medical supplies for the orphange as Shauna did when she went to Ethiopia (My Greatest Adventure) but don't know whether I'd be as lucky as she was with the free extra baggage allowance (see Roy). Maybe I need to ask a few of the parents at school that work for Air Canada if they can help. This will get me as far as Toronto. Then maybe the other airline will appreciate and reward my act of kindness. In my travel book there is a link to a website www.stuffyourrucksack.com that I want to check out. It would be lovely to be able to take supplies of one form or another to help out the children's home. Gotta to go before this dies on me. It doesn't lose power minute for minute!
In Shauna's post about maternity leave she says we get a year here in Canada. You do if you give birth but not if you adopt. That's what the EI petition is all about!!!! I hope the gal in Toronto is able to do something with it. I had hoped to see it reach 1,500! Thank you to all those of you who signed it and passed it on to others to sign. It shouldn't even be an issue in a country like ours!
Tuesday, 10 January 2012
Patience and Waiting!!!!!!!!
I used to think I was a fairly patient person but I am beginning to reconsider that thinking! After getting Part 1 of the citizenship process off last week, and thanks to Canada Post Tracking, confirmation that it arrived in Sydney, Nova Scotia on Monday, I must wait!!!!! And wait!!!! Apparently they will send me a letter to say they have received it or are reviewing it. I forget what other bloggers have said. Cost $160 ($100 plus $60 notary)
Please excuse any typos in this tonight. I am trying to use my new laptop and stuggling with the keyboard and size of font. I don't seem able to adjust any of the screen displays or contrast so am struggling to see and read the screen, as well as getting used to a smaller keyboard. I've got to get used to this for when I travel. = : )
On Friday I paid my Stage Two Fees to my local agency here. Luckily they take VISA so I get points for it that I may eventually, note the word eventually, be able to use for travel. Cost $3,5000. This is not a cheap process because I have already paid two other amounts.
This week I am setting about my dossier requirements. Different police departments work diffrerent ways in different provinces and although the agency in Ontario says my country wants an RCMP crimminal record check, here in Vancouver the "crim check" is done through the Vancouver Police Department. I spent yesterday and today trying to find answers to the difference and the process on line. I am so old fashioned! Please give me a human being to talk to, not a complicated telephone system that I get lost and frustrated navigating around. This afternoon I left school and rushed to drop off my application for summer school, please pray I get this again this year, then a form to my agency, and then the Vancouver Police Department on Cambie Street. I had seen something on line about how you have to go to two different places for the record check and the finger prints. Thank my lucky stars that for adoption purposes only they can do both at the VPD office. I have nine out of ten accurate fingerprints (left thumb wouldn't give a clear print) which the guy doing it thought would pass. Please keep your fingers crossed that Ottawa doesn't bounce it back! Apparently for the fingerprints and crimminal check I can expect to wait three weeks. Cost $95.
I walked back to the car thinking, I hope people who are able to have children easily appreciate their great fortune! Especially those that can time the arrival of their baby to coincide with the maximum amount of top up! Along with this thought, I also saw all hopes of having a child for next Christmas fading fast and I am not even PMSing yet! I went from the VPD to WW and boy was that ugly! I hadn't been since September and there was a 14 lb difference in the wrong direction. Almost too embarassing to post but I have to get back on top of this issue. I was doing so well this time last year and was doing 10,000 steps a day. My ankle wouldn't take that now! I know what I need to do to help myself. I need to get my dossier off then focus on me and my apartment while I wait. As soon as my dossier gets accepted I do want to start working on my child's lifebook. See links to Beth O'Malley in the right hand margin. From WW I went to London Drugs to get some pictures developed for my little 8x8 calendar as well as for a special photo album.
I also found out today that after the lawyer signs Form A, then I need a letter from the province saying that the lawyer is in good standing and able to practice law in B.C. I want to get on this a.s.a.p. as maybe the two (this and the crimminal record check) will arrive back at the same time. I have three good friends writing letters of reference and am waiting for my local agency to put some things together for me to pick up. All the orginal documents need an affidavit. Form A with the accompanying letter is my next hurdle!
My local agency offered to mail the VERY large check to the agency in Ontario but I said I'll do it and give them a copy of it. I can't risk it getting misplaced, lost or delayed! More importantly, I want to know when it has gone. I will pay what it takes to send the cheque registered mail. When the time comes, I will also copy all of my documents in my dossier so that all the agency here has to do is send it. If I have to wait three weeks, perhaps my original worker may be back from her medical leave.
I now have to do my physio exercises. Sorry John, haven't done them for a week so I guess I can't complain!
Please excuse any typos in this tonight. I am trying to use my new laptop and stuggling with the keyboard and size of font. I don't seem able to adjust any of the screen displays or contrast so am struggling to see and read the screen, as well as getting used to a smaller keyboard. I've got to get used to this for when I travel. = : )
On Friday I paid my Stage Two Fees to my local agency here. Luckily they take VISA so I get points for it that I may eventually, note the word eventually, be able to use for travel. Cost $3,5000. This is not a cheap process because I have already paid two other amounts.
This week I am setting about my dossier requirements. Different police departments work diffrerent ways in different provinces and although the agency in Ontario says my country wants an RCMP crimminal record check, here in Vancouver the "crim check" is done through the Vancouver Police Department. I spent yesterday and today trying to find answers to the difference and the process on line. I am so old fashioned! Please give me a human being to talk to, not a complicated telephone system that I get lost and frustrated navigating around. This afternoon I left school and rushed to drop off my application for summer school, please pray I get this again this year, then a form to my agency, and then the Vancouver Police Department on Cambie Street. I had seen something on line about how you have to go to two different places for the record check and the finger prints. Thank my lucky stars that for adoption purposes only they can do both at the VPD office. I have nine out of ten accurate fingerprints (left thumb wouldn't give a clear print) which the guy doing it thought would pass. Please keep your fingers crossed that Ottawa doesn't bounce it back! Apparently for the fingerprints and crimminal check I can expect to wait three weeks. Cost $95.
I walked back to the car thinking, I hope people who are able to have children easily appreciate their great fortune! Especially those that can time the arrival of their baby to coincide with the maximum amount of top up! Along with this thought, I also saw all hopes of having a child for next Christmas fading fast and I am not even PMSing yet! I went from the VPD to WW and boy was that ugly! I hadn't been since September and there was a 14 lb difference in the wrong direction. Almost too embarassing to post but I have to get back on top of this issue. I was doing so well this time last year and was doing 10,000 steps a day. My ankle wouldn't take that now! I know what I need to do to help myself. I need to get my dossier off then focus on me and my apartment while I wait. As soon as my dossier gets accepted I do want to start working on my child's lifebook. See links to Beth O'Malley in the right hand margin. From WW I went to London Drugs to get some pictures developed for my little 8x8 calendar as well as for a special photo album.
I also found out today that after the lawyer signs Form A, then I need a letter from the province saying that the lawyer is in good standing and able to practice law in B.C. I want to get on this a.s.a.p. as maybe the two (this and the crimminal record check) will arrive back at the same time. I have three good friends writing letters of reference and am waiting for my local agency to put some things together for me to pick up. All the orginal documents need an affidavit. Form A with the accompanying letter is my next hurdle!
My local agency offered to mail the VERY large check to the agency in Ontario but I said I'll do it and give them a copy of it. I can't risk it getting misplaced, lost or delayed! More importantly, I want to know when it has gone. I will pay what it takes to send the cheque registered mail. When the time comes, I will also copy all of my documents in my dossier so that all the agency here has to do is send it. If I have to wait three weeks, perhaps my original worker may be back from her medical leave.
I now have to do my physio exercises. Sorry John, haven't done them for a week so I guess I can't complain!
Wednesday, 4 January 2012
Part 1 - Confirmation of Canadian Citizenship of the Adoptive Parent was sent today
Today was a somewhat significant day in that I had three documents notarized so I could send my confirmation of citizenship form to Nova Scotia for processing. This process I have been told can take up to nine months but the agency in Ontario I will be working with said it isn't needed until the second trip. Please keep your fingers crossed the time lines come together and work for me.
Here are a couple of pictures for documentation purposes. A few fellow bloggers have mentioned Blog2print as a site that turns blogs into photo books. I'd like to be able to make a book out of this first part of the journey up to travel for the second trip so that my child will be able to see the process I went through to bring him or her home.
I've never had anything notarized before and got to see the red (it's red but looks gold in the picture)stamp/seal people have blogged about. I liked the notary and went there because when I did a Google search for a notary in my neighbourhood she was the closest one. I was happy with her and think I will employ her services for the rest of my documents. When I told her what the documents were for and how simple they were (passport, driver's license and citizenship card) she gave me a deal. I greatly appreciated this as it saved me $45.
I still can't figure out the youtube posting. Other blogs have videos that use youtube but you can't watch them on youtube only on their blog. The two I posted are unfortunately "out there" and linked to goodness knows what. If anybody knows how to fix the youtube settings please let me know.
Here are a couple of pictures for documentation purposes. A few fellow bloggers have mentioned Blog2print as a site that turns blogs into photo books. I'd like to be able to make a book out of this first part of the journey up to travel for the second trip so that my child will be able to see the process I went through to bring him or her home.
I've never had anything notarized before and got to see the red (it's red but looks gold in the picture)stamp/seal people have blogged about. I liked the notary and went there because when I did a Google search for a notary in my neighbourhood she was the closest one. I was happy with her and think I will employ her services for the rest of my documents. When I told her what the documents were for and how simple they were (passport, driver's license and citizenship card) she gave me a deal. I greatly appreciated this as it saved me $45.
I still can't figure out the youtube posting. Other blogs have videos that use youtube but you can't watch them on youtube only on their blog. The two I posted are unfortunately "out there" and linked to goodness knows what. If anybody knows how to fix the youtube settings please let me know.
Tuesday, 3 January 2012
My attempts at cinematography!
Here goes! If at first you don't succeed, try and try again! I tried again and then went to the 'Help' menu in the camcorder's PMB software. I think it works. Logged off to check. Ooops, I didn't make it public so couldn't view it. Then I went back and uploaded them again making them public but I don't want future personal videos public. I need help from you experienced bloggers out there.
Again trying out the zoom and playing around with the camera.
For those of you that don't know the Pacific Northwest this is Mt. Baker in Washington state. Sorry for the "graininess". I'll try to take some more video that doesn't have the zoom full out. The few I have include my family while I was playing around with the camera and I don't think they would thank me for posting them!
What a struggle but I did this all by myself!!!!!!
I am now going to print out my Part 1 of my Confirmation of Canadian Citizenship of the Adoptive Parent. I photocopied the necessary documents today and meet with a notary tomorrow. I continue to work away on the dossier requirements for my country.
I can see what the young guys that made their own youtube movie reviews on the camcorder mean about grainy images in full zoom. I'm not too bothered as I'm not sure for the purposes of adoption when I would have the zoom fully exteneded. You can tell how far out we were and how close in the zoom went. It was also dusk (4:00 ish) on a cloudy, Vancouver, west coast day.
Again trying out the zoom and playing around with the camera.
What a struggle but I did this all by myself!!!!!!
I am now going to print out my Part 1 of my Confirmation of Canadian Citizenship of the Adoptive Parent. I photocopied the necessary documents today and meet with a notary tomorrow. I continue to work away on the dossier requirements for my country.
One of my Christmas presents - a camcorder
I decided with a gift card from a friend, money from my dad and a little money of my own I would buy a camcorder. "Why?," my mother asked. I tried to explain that buying it now meant I'd have it for 'Gotcha Day' or whatever it will be called in the country I am adopting from. When she saw it she was amazed by its size and zoom. I am trying to learn how to use it but really need my travel partner, as yet undetermined - but I have one or two people in mind, to learn how to use it. Then again, most people aren't technologically fearful like me and could probably just pick it up and use it.
Okay, what did I buy? I ended up with a Sony DCR-SX45. It isn't a high def camcorder and although I have a flat screen TV I don't have a HD box yet. The HD camcorders were a significant jump in price and I didn't want to pay over $400!!! This one was a great price ($250) for what I want it for and has a great zoom. It went on sale after Christmas and I got another $30 back that I put towards a case. In looking for info on it tonight to post, there are a couple of young kids who have made YouTube reviews on it. I liked the fact that it took SD cards and had no internal memory. The salesman at London Drug sold me on this feature. So long as I have a supply of SD cards with me and a spare battery, I won't get a message to say the internal memory is full! Yikes, that would be really bad luck. I couldn't imagine saying, "Hey, can I come back in a couple of hours when my camcorder is empty and have you hand me my child again so we can get it on tape?" I'm kidding of course! I will buy another battery closer to the time as they are about $80. I was going to try and post a video for you to see my skills, or lack there of, but was called out by a friend with an emergency. It is now bedtime. I don't know if I need a youtube account or if I can just post a video like a photo. Nope, can't post like a photo.
Once again,
Okay, what did I buy? I ended up with a Sony DCR-SX45. It isn't a high def camcorder and although I have a flat screen TV I don't have a HD box yet. The HD camcorders were a significant jump in price and I didn't want to pay over $400!!! This one was a great price ($250) for what I want it for and has a great zoom. It went on sale after Christmas and I got another $30 back that I put towards a case. In looking for info on it tonight to post, there are a couple of young kids who have made YouTube reviews on it. I liked the fact that it took SD cards and had no internal memory. The salesman at London Drug sold me on this feature. So long as I have a supply of SD cards with me and a spare battery, I won't get a message to say the internal memory is full! Yikes, that would be really bad luck. I couldn't imagine saying, "Hey, can I come back in a couple of hours when my camcorder is empty and have you hand me my child again so we can get it on tape?" I'm kidding of course! I will buy another battery closer to the time as they are about $80. I was going to try and post a video for you to see my skills, or lack there of, but was called out by a friend with an emergency. It is now bedtime. I don't know if I need a youtube account or if I can just post a video like a photo. Nope, can't post like a photo.
Once again,
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| copyright: istockphoto.com/tiridifilm |
Monday, 2 January 2012
Happy New Year
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| copyright: istockphoto.com/Sunnybeach |
To those of you like me waiting, and waitng, trying to cross bridges and jump hurdles, may the good Lord bless us and give us the patience and wisdom to navigate our way through this forest and allow us to celebrate when the time is right. People have asked me why I put myself out here like this. I started a blog as a way to document the journey for my future child and to update friends. I don't write particularly well and didn't want to keep a journal so thought I'd try this. For somebody that doesn't use Facebook, tweet or any of those other things, I was amazed to discover a large community out there that is a tremendous sense of support.
Here's to the road ahead!
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| copyright: istockphoto.com/alexsl |
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