Pick up, clean up -

[kyburg]

So I get a phone call from my agency last night. They want me for another class. *cringes* Okay. Don't want to "look" uncooperative, so I commit us to yet *another* morning in Pasadena, this time for "Celebrating Holidays Around The World."

*facepalms*

Anyone want to add one - from anywhere - that I can bury them with?

One of the reasons I really think adopting from China or Asia in general is appropriate for us is the neighborhood I live in and the fact I'm a minority in it. Chinese New Year. Pish! Gimme something harder. I got Ramadan, Diwali and Eid in last year, in addition to. Golden Week. Nisei Week. Swiss Independence Day. COME ON.

But, I'm going. It was old long before now.

This weekend, we pack it all up and put it away. I'm planting the tree in the back yard, already have the spot picked out.

Tonight, the Red Cross gets some more of my blood. I'm O+, should anyone want to know. Yeah, they want me. ALL THE TIME. They've giving me some Clippers tickets tonight, though - already told me so. *snaps fingers* I should see if my niece wants them. Not very likely, but they are free and all. It does beg the question though - what do they want for Clippers tickets...blood?...*swats self* I wouldn't go near the Staples Center for a basketball game for love or money or...free tickets. If I have to bring them in to work, it'll make a good story at least.

For the record, Huckabee scares me. I want Edwards (and would prefer an Edwards/Obama ticket) - but wanting is good and builds character and all that. I know, I know.

I owe Sis a phone call - when I got home, she'd left a voicemail that can only be interpreted as contrite (yeah, she got the letter). *looks uncomfortable* I really would prefer to have the note in front of me when I call her back, but Trogdor is still giving me the finger and hasn't gone to Geek Squad yet. And I didn't want to ruin the holiday with a confrontation, and still may not want to ruin my weekend with one either.

Got the pictures off the camera last night and decided they need a serious amount of work (most of them just plain BAD) before posting. Go figure. The shots I spent the least amount of investment in (the really nice poinsettia ones) didn't take anything...and the ones from the parties that I *really* wanted all suck rocks backwards.

Week nearly over - which is good. Payday is tomorrow, which is really REALLY good.

Comments

[djdig.livejournal.com]

Thanks for reminding me that I need to make an appointment to give blood.

I give a ton during the summer so I'm eligible to be the "donor of the game" at Red Sox games.

This month they're giving people who donate a pound of Dunkin Donuts coffee. I don't drink coffee so someone will be happy to be my friend in the near future.

[redqueenofevil.livejournal.com]

Well, if you want to meet up when you're in Pas, contact us.

As for holidays, there are tons. Go to the beliefnet calendar to see more.

[feyandstrange.livejournal.com]

The Shinto holidays are, again, almost too easy - Boys' Day and Girls' Day at least, in this context. But something like Setsubon (bean-throwing day) might be good fun. Any holiday which involves throwing soybeans at the guy wearing the demon mask is fun, and fun for kids of most ages.

And thank you for donating blood!

[ecstaticlght.livejournal.com]

I'm, for the first time, truly enthusiastic about a candidate and completely agree with your ticket wants. I'm ready to put an Edwards sign on my front yard and I don't ever do that for anybody. He's a Labor ticket sort of person all of the way.

[ahavia.livejournal.com]

Hi, Donna. I don't think we have talked before. I think we have Man from Uncle and adoption in common.
Are you planning or hoping to adopt a child, from China?
I met my daughter in Camden, NJ at a bit over 2 mo. old when she was a patient in the hospital and got to take her home when she was 3 mo. old weighing 7 lb as a foster child. I got full legal custody of her when she was 5 yr. old and adopted her when she was 21. It was like being in labor for 21 yr. She is my heart, my gift from God. I could go on about her for too long.
I can tell you more if you are interested.
Ahavia

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

We're in the process - and we hope to have a placement within two years. When we began the process, the wait from log in was nine months - our log in date (you'll see LID used a lot) is 2/27/07, and we expect the wait to extend long into 2008 and perhaps into 2009. *sighs*

An adoption at age 21. Wow, you *both* had to wait that long? Having been through the foster parent certification process (spent two years with them for nothing), I think I know why - these days, I don't know that you'd have to.

Please, say on - my current research seems to circle around the first families and integration of them into the adoptive circle. Something my agency has yet to do a 'class' on - but they can chatter on about scrapbooks and holidays forever. *facepalms*

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

Pencil in next Saturday afternoon - where was that fantastic place with the veggie curry your housewarming had?

[redqueenofevil.livejournal.com]

Pita Pita!

Ok. I have rehearsals til I think noon? So I'm sure I'll be hungry. If you're interested, we're having a concert that night. How late is your class?

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

They go until 1:30, so you may be VERY hungry - but Pita Pita sounds wonderful right now!

[ahavia.livejournal.com]

The story of how I got to adopt my daughter, Shante, would scare anyone from domestic adoptions. Shante was hospitalized with lead poisoning at 2 mo. old, a broken collar bone, a concussion, Shaken Baby Syndrome as well as alcohol in her system cause they were feeding her wine in a bottle to keep her quiet. She has optic nerve damage -open angle glaucoma from the Shaken Baby Syndrome. Has a 62 IQ. At 22 she functions at a 7 to 9 yr. old level.
She weighed 5 lb 11 oz at birth. She was the 9th pregnancy, 10th child born to a 21 yr. old woman who had Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. Only 5 of the mother's children lived past 3 mo. old. The mother was one of 5 sisters who all had 5 or more children and all ended up in foster care. And Shante is the only one of those children who has not reproduced.
At 2 mo. old Shante weighed 6 lb 1 oz. My partner, who is a child psychologist, and I took her home as a foster child when she weighed 7 lb.
We went through home visits to the bio-family for years and when she was 5, the man who might be her birth father moved in with the bio-mother and Shante went back to 're-unite the family'. I got her back a month later badly hurt with cigarette burns on her back. I went to court and got full legal custody of her. Many court battles later I got permission to move to Philadelphia from Camden because we were being harrased by the bio-family. Shante was 7 then. When Shante was 14 we went to court to adopt her. Her bio-mom was supposed to show up and sign papers. Bio-mother got drunk instead. From 14 to 18 she was in and out of hospital for her mental and emotional problems. By the time she was 21 she was much more stable and we convinced the court that she wanted to be adopted of her own free will. When she was 18 I had been awarded her legal guardian. So the court had to investigate that I was not trying to steal her social security disability money and we had a Special Needs Trust fund set up for her with another person, her mentor, to care for her if both my partner and I died. We are both 62 and not in the best health. Shante's mentor is also a psychologist and is a very loving caring person. We have enough money that Shante will be cared for the rest of her life. At this time she is living in Denver through a very good agency and lives in independent housing with her boyfriend who is also delayed. They have workers to help with with daily life skills and a social worker who cares for their bills and money. I just spent a week there in Dec. and all are doing great. We talk about 10 times a day and I help with extra expenses. I miss her but this is giving her a chance to be as grown up as she can be with the support she needs. She is my heart and my gift from God. I have 2 sons I gave birth 2 and my partner has 1 son. We are both grandmothers which is one of our most delights. I have a 13 yr. old grandson and Sweetie has a 3 yr. old granddaughter.
Ahavia