Eye-yah! Ay-yah! Aiya!

Living in Vancouver for the past 12 years this is the only Chinese I know!  I believe it is their equivalent of, "Oh shoot!"   I found out today that my documents for my dossier are good but there are some inconsistencies in the homestudy that the wonderful woman in Toronto thankfully spotted before taking the dossier to my country's consulate.  "Eye-yah!" is all I could say as I was at work.  Some of these changes were made in October but seem to have cropped up again.  Please God give me strength and hope in a world and system where it is fast disappearing.  Please don't ask me if I hold much hope?  Between this news today and then the actions of our provincial government towards teachers it has been one heck of a day!   Off now to make the changes to the homestudy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  

How to wait and more shots!

I got my second set of Hep A and Hep B shots tonight in one arm, and Typhoid in the other.  My arms are a little bit more sore than last time.  I went from the travel clinic to a waiting parents meeting at my local agency to be the only parent there.  It worked out that I had a good chat with the lady running the meeting and learned about her adoption and shared my story to date, along with some of its ups and downs.

I have no news on my dossier except that it arrived in Toronto last Friday.  Now I am waiting to receive the registration package.  I don't think anything will happen until my local agency receives the package and I sign it and return it.  Time just continues to tick and tick!  When I think I should be happy in this process, "Hey, I got my dossier in," I then find myself wondering if the process will ever have a happy ending.  Have others felt this way?

Today, I have been waiting for nine months and five days.  I guess I could be classed as over-due!

YES! I did it! I sent my dossier to Ontario. Now I have to wait!

I met with the adoption worker at my local agency today and went through the different things required for my dossier.  The list isn't long compared to some countries but it still took some putting together.
- Home study with current criminal record check
- Letter of Approval from the local agency (letter of approval from province only comes after I have  accepted the proposal of a child)
- medical reports (notarized copy of the basic one done by my GP on registering with local agency, I have to have a medical in my country on my first trip)
- notarized copy of my passport
- the infamous Form A, signed in front of a lawyer
- two character references (I sent three for good measure)
- marriage certificate (if applicable)

For good measure I also sent the agency a letter from my bank and a letter from my employer.  Whether Ontario uses them or not I will leave that up to them but I had them from when I started my dossier for Honduras so included them.  I figured as a single applicant they helped prove that I am able to support and care for a child financially.  As a teacher and a person who likes to be in control, that seems to be something a lot of us bloggers have in common, I had made photocopies for my agency.  Then when given the choice to send it myself or leave it with them, I opted to send it on my way home.  I came home and wrote a quick note to the lady in Ontario and then went up to the post office.

My local post office at Shoppers Drug Mart

My dossier in a padded envelope

Worried the dossier would get bent, I put the padded envelope in a cardboard priority envelope! 
Really!

I explained to the lady at the post office what I was sending and asked her if I could take her photo for documenting the journey.  She declined which I am completely okay with.  I totally respect her privacy and she must have thought me nuts!  But oh, well!  I got the idea to try and do this from one of the Honduran blogs I follow.  Last fall, one of my fellow bloggers had a UPS man deliver some important documents who was only too happy to have his picture taken for his part in the process.   Anyway, $45 later, but this is a drop in the ocean, my dossier will arrive in Toronto on Friday.  I can't believe it!  I have finally submitted it!  As I left school at 3:02, my new administrator knowing that I am involved in the adoption process, guessed why I was running out behind the kids as the bell was still echoing, and wished me the best of luck.  I have waited so long for today!

What now all those of you following my blog and not in the adoption process yourself?
My dossier has to be approved by the agency in Toronto, attested by my country's consulate and then sent to my country.  Luckily there is no translation needed, so this saves both time and money. The tme frame on this next step, I'm not sure of.  I am leaving the "ticker" ticking, until my Ontario agency tells me it has arrived in my country.  Once the country receives it, then I can look forward to hearing that it is in line for court and then hopefully be given a travel date for the first trip.

Needless to say, happy and thrilled, I stopped off at the liquor store on my way home and bought a nice bottle of  white wine.  I never drink wine with dinner, unless I at home with my family in Victoria, but figured today's events were cause for celebration.  FYI:  I don't like to drink points, I prefer to eat them.  I chilled it in the freezer and then enjoyed a lovely glass of wine with my dinner of trout, green beans and carrots. No carbs because I then had a Rogers' cream heart, vanilla flavour.  If you are ever in Victoria, you've got to stop at the main Rogers' Chocolate store on Government Street.  You'll go home with a lot of chocolate!



This isn't the vanilla one, it's the chocolate one I have left!  That is unless I decide to share it.



Oh and these are the flowers on my table.  My mother has always said I should have flowers and since last September I have been trying really hard to keep some on my table.

Excuse the mess on the table, the photo wasn't what you could call staged!

Happy Flag Day



copyright: istockphoto.com/selensergen

Happy Flag Day to all Canadians!  Apparently our flag as we know it was flown for the first time on February 15, 1965.  Four years ago I did know a lot more as I was teaching my grade threes all about Canadian symbols but I forget the finer details!  The radio stations have all been playing "Wavin' Flag" by Somali-Canadian K'naan today.  The song was actually written fto raise funds after the earthquake in Haiti but I guess they can play it today.  I sent my dossier to the Ontario agency today.  Maybe there is significance in that, but if not it is easy to remember the day on which I sent my dossier.

With what is left of the day, "Happy Valentines Day!"

www.istockphoto.com/kirin_photo

Happy Valentines Day to my family, friends, and on-line blogging buddies.  What a day today!   The kids, my students, were high from the minute they walked in the classroom.  Luckily I had lots of colouring pages, puzzle sheets and a fun graphing activity for them.  It kept them busy without having to focus on our regular work.  We had library in the afternoon and then watched a movie with another class.  Thanks TK!  You are a life saver.

Panic!

Our school secretary brought this package down to me this morning that contained the documents I had sent to Victoria.  I was thrilled! 

Then I opened the package and read the certificate.  It referred to my lawyer as a notary public and that's when, with a class of very excited children, I hit the 'PANIC' button.  "No!" I wanted to scream, "the certificate has to say that the lawyer is in good standing with the province.  That's what I've been told has to be attached to Form A."  I sent off three emails. One to the agency in Ontario, one to the Attorney General's office and one to my family.  I phoned a friend at recess and was then almost in tears.  I have to add here that I am STRUGGLING to adjust to very expensive new glasses that I think are somehow quite wrong!  Adoption difficulties today trumped a phone call to my optometrist.  Anyway a few emails later, I learn that a lawyer becomes a notary public when signing something like this.  This is true in BC and Ontario.  It sounds like this will be okay for my country's consulate, so fingers crossed.  I sure hope so because I don't want to send it to Ontario and then have it sent back to resend to Victoria!   I like to do things right the first time and as I have been waiting so long for this, I desperately want it to move forward.  I meet with my local agency tomorrow but won't rest until the Ontario agency gets it and has it successfully attested at the consulate.  And I thought I was done with this part of the process!   I just thank my lucky stars for the two helpful women who answered these emails and helped me out. Unfortunately, all of this brought on the craving for more chocolate!

If this is part of what it takes to make things official, then I have it!  I found the Cinnamon Baby blog last night and added it to my list.  This family is working with the same Ontario agency but towards a different country.  Like them, I hope that my blog not only helps keep friends and family informed, serves as a record of the process for my child in the future, but also helps others that are in the process.  Welcome Cinnamon Baby!  I encourage to check out some of the blogs I have links to.  Although we are adopting from different countries, the ups and downs we all experience give us something in common, and the words of wisdom and experiences of those families that have completed their adoptions are very valuable.

Latest Update

Last Wednesday, February 8, my mum's birthday, I met with my lawyer who notarized two documents and witnessed my signing of another.  He notarized a photocopy of my medical report and a copy of my passport.

He then witnessed my signing of the infamous "Form A".  This form has been the most complicated part of my dossier, but really nothing compared to some of the stuff  Honduras was requiring!  After many emails with a couple of very helpful people, I learned that this document had to go to the Attorney General's office.  They could not verify my lawyer is, "a lawyer in good standing" without seeing the form.  Anybody living in BC and adopting from the same country as me, I hope I have just ironed out this part of the process for us!

The three documents were put in an envelope and sent to the Attorney General's office in Victoria.

I was very late getting to the post office, after six, as I had to plan for a substitute on Thursday due to a workshop I was attending.  I have to say I am staring to really like Canada Post.  When you pay for  Xpress post or Priority Post, things really do fly and the ability to track your package is cool!  The most helpful and kind lady at the Attorney General's office received my package Friday morning.  She has authenticated it and it is heading back to me at work first thing Monday morning.  It should arrive on Tuesday.  If it weren't for a union meeting on Tuesday after school, I'd be down at my agency handing in my dossier.  As it stands now, I will hand in my dossier on Wednesday or Thursday.  I am providing the agency with a copy so hopefully they can courier it to Toronto on Friday.  I am not stopping the clicker for my dossier until it is in the hot little hands of my Toronto agency, and even then may wait until it actually arrives in my country.

Wow!  To think this is all finally starting to come together.  It seems like a very long wait since the beginning of October but people have told me, "good things come to those who wait!"

Thank you to those of you who have given me feedback about my profile on Canada Adopts.  Your words of encouragement mean so much to me.  I had a lovely visit Wednesday afternoon with a friend/former parent and her youngest daughter.  I taught both of her daughters and worked with this family for five years!   I knew I was very fortunate to teach in such a great school with such a wonderful community of supportive families but the support in the last week has been amazing.  I don't quite know how to thank you enough for all your encouragement and support. 
Have a great week!

Some Good News along with the good weather!

Well the good weather, we have had four glorious days of it, seems to have brought some good news.  Last Friday, I uploaded my revised profile and photos to Canada Adopts.  I also received my criminal record check and fingerprints, and received a good email from the agency in Ontario clarifying for us here what is needed in regards to notarizing, authenticating, attesting, etc.  I am meeting my lawyer after school tomorrow and getting three things notarized to go to Victoria to the Attorney General's office.  This afternoon I checked my email before leaving work and found out that my profile is posted on Canada Adopts.  It was a very strange feeling at first but it quickly grew on me.  I haven't actually read it yet on line as my back is acting up and I had to go to physio, but the pictures look pretty good. Please go check it out either with the link above or with the link in the side bar above the petition.

My mum and dad were over for the long weekend.  Vancouver schools were off Friday and Monday for District Closure Days.  Have to say, I love them and it makes the longer day very worthwhile.  We had four absolutely glorious days and as a fellow Pacific Northwest blogger said, we have to take advantage of them.  My mum and I walked at Jericho Beach and Spanish Banks on Friday and then my neighbour and walked a bit on Monday.  Here is a video I took with my mum.   I obviously need more practice with the camera.  I hadn't used it since coming home on the ferry.

P.S.  If anybody knows how to post a video on You Tube so it can be seen on my blog but not have other videos linked to it when it has finished playing, please leave a comment.  When my videos finish playing there are about 6 links to view other videos that aren't mine. Other blogs that have videos don't do this.  If I make the video private only people who I have given a password to can see it and I don't want to prevent people seeing my videos.

P.P.S.  Sunday was Feb. 5.  Last year I spent Saturday, Feb. 5, 2011 at a workshop at AFABC.  It was at this Adoption 101 workshop that I pretty much decided adoption was the route I would take to become a parent.  An appointment last Feb. 25 confirmed this decision.   I decided to use the day I registered with my agency as the start date for my journey but could have used February 5, 2011.

I keep extending and extending my time frame and had hoped to have my dossier submitted by the end of January.  Over the weekend I thought submitting my dossier on Valentines Day would be fitting but am not sure I'll get everything back from Victoria in time for that.  If I could do this, it would put a new meaning on Valentines Day for me!  Here's hoping with fingers and toes crossed.

Happy Groundhog Day!

copyright: www. istockphotco.com/GalinoPhoto

Here's hoping for a really wet cloudy today tomorrow.  Me, say that!  No, I don't have a fever and didn't have any wine with dinner!   We did however, have blue sky today with something yellow in it.  It was amazing.  Alright, for all you people following this blog from different places around the world, or even outside of the lower mainland, please excuse my sarcasm.  Vancouver winters are notoriously wet and grey.  Give me the cold, snowy winters of Quesnel any day.  Here in Vancouver we have to check between our toes on a regular basis during the winter to see if we have webbing!   If I have my groundhog facts straight, if Wiarton Willie or Punxsutawney Phil see their shadow tomorrow ( thus a cold, sunny day) we will have six more weeks of winter.  If they don't see their shadow, then spring is on its way.  Here's hoping for an early spring.  I kind of liked this cute little guy and he was way cheaper than any of the cartoon characters.  Happy Groundhog Day!