The Offical Friend Birthday Party!

It's official....Rylee's birthday is over!
(After a dinner party, cake party and friend party....whew!)
Last night was the friend party at Classic Skating.
Here are a few pictures.....

Rylee, Brach & Soren

Rachel, Katie & Rylee

Opening Presents

The whole group:Katie, Rachel Macie, Maddie, Ashtyn
Nicholas, Brach, Soren, Rylee

And this is a terrible picture because of the smoke machine, but this is Rylee skating with her Dad. I was so glad James came. He probably had more fun then the kids did. You know when you were a kid? And some old guy with some skating skills would be there and you would think. "Eww...who is this old guy?" He is now my husband. (He even worked up a sweat!) Oh, well we love him!

Misc January!

My photogenic brothers Jeff & Arron

Will wonders ever cease? My MOM is taller than someone! (My friend, Alisa!)

Austin in the corner with his coach Rylee serving him a refreshing beverage!

Devree with her homework poster on her head?

James eating scary fish egg sushi!

Yeah, it was so scary, it made him look Asian!

Sidney with Ella's sweater on her head, this is how all fashionable 18 month olds wear dog sweaters these days!

Rylee's hair after Ashytn's Birthday Party!

It was a "fo-hawk" bun sprinkled with glitter!

Kambree at her work (although she smiled, she was not thrilled that I showed up at her place of employment to snap this picture!)

Laundry Day...

I do laundry on Mondays & Thursdays.

I say, that but usually by Wednesday I have the last batch of Monday's laundry folded and put away only to start laundry again the next day. So usually I'm doing laundry most everyday.
However, I'm pretty particular about laundry from the soap and bleach to the sorting and folding. I like it my way (as I'm convinced it is the best way) and I've tried to have my children help and my hubby but....it's just never worked out. (Although my children do bring down their own laundry and can sort like no other. But I'm always on hand for "Does this go in darks or lights?" Just in case there's a doubt.)
I came across this today and although I'm sure it is meant as a sexist joke, it certainly applies to our household!

Rylee's Offical Birthday!

It's official....Rylee is nine!

She elected to have a HUGE Costco Carrot Cake for her birthday. Which we love but not a lot of others love so even though we invited aunts, uncles and cousins....we still have half a cake!!

She already got her big gift (her bike) before James left for work (thinking he would be missing the actual day) but due to James change of schedule he got home the afternoon of her birthday. She was thrilled!

This is "Horton Hears A Who" pop up book. She's been asking for it forever!

Rylee & James (James has his "birth" shirt on-the shirt he wore the day she was born. Don't laugh...I didn't come up with this....he did! He has a shirt for each child and is slowly growing out of them. I asked if he's going to use the shirt he wears to court when we adopt Alex because I want to make sure it's a good shirt. He told me I should get a 2XL. You should see Kambree's its a stripped t-shirt that he can barely get on!)

This is a special doll made by Aunt Debbie and Grandma Nan. Debbie poured the doll and did all the painting and grandma sewed the clothes and dressed her. Rylee of course squealed with delight!

And how do we party?? We play DS. This is Rylee with her cousins. She had asked if she could call and ask Brach to bring his DS. I said no, this is a party. You're not going to sit around and play DS, that is unsocial. So when Brach got here he found her old Gameboy and Tyler observed. Wow! What party animals!
(It didn't help that she got two new DS games!)

Happy Birthday Ry! I love you. You bring such joy and happiness into our lives.

Bad Pregnacy Day?

Adoption is a lot like pregnancy except you don't get to feel the little flutters, movement and outright kicks reminding you that your child is alive and well. Instead you watch for letters, try to make phone calls, pray for him and hope he's okay. Even though you don't have the protruding belly, heartburn and swollen ankles, your thoughts & worry are constantly with him. Is he warm? Does he believe we're coming? Does he still want to come? Is he well? Is he getting enough to eat? Are the other children being nice? Did he get his package? .....
And like pregnancy you have your good days and bad days. Today started out bad. I've been trying to call Alex since Tuesday. I told him via instant messaging when he was with Ivan, I would call on the 27th . In my mind's eye I picture my Alex, standing forlornly in a dark hallway outside the office waiting for my phone call and it never came. Tuesday morning my translator's phone died and I wasn't able to try the orphanage until 8:30 am which is 5:30 pm their time and the phone just rang and rang. Probably out of the office for the day.
This morning I tried again and again I couldn't get my translator. (He had left his phone and computer at a friends. ) Now, I can't make these calls on my own. No one there speaks English and I can say dog, baby, bread and grandma in Ukrainian so that certainly would be an odd conversation.
This comes on the heels of bad news yesterday about our re-finance. (Remember? The funds we need to complete this adoption? Yeah, re-finance not finished-and may not be with this lender!)
While feeling sorry for my situation all around I get a call that I need yet another document re-done and sent to the Ukraine. The Pollyanna part of me thinks, "At least I found out before I overnighted the first set of redone documents" but the grumpy-"pregnant"-feel sorry for myself- part of me, thinks "Why me?" (Mine was the only document that had to be redone-even though we all had completed our documents the same-I'm not even going into it on this post!)
Anyway, I ran to the assessors office, pleaded my case, had my document filled out and re-notarized, ran up to the capital and picked up my last appostilled document and everything is ready for tomorrow's FedEx drop.
I'm reminded of a conversation I had with Rylee a few days ago when she told me she was having a "horrible" day because her good friend can't come to her birthday party and something else was wrong. (I can't remember exactly what is was...is that a sign of dementia?) I, feeling Pollyanna-ish at the time told her at least everyone is alive with no broken bones or pregnant out of wedlock, in a gang, doing drugs or incarcerated. She had to admit that those things would be worse. So, I'm going to give myself the same pep talk! "Self, things could be worse. You could have a document that is harder to fix, or worse, find out about it later when it's too late to fix it, not to mention, it's a good thing Self, you were home and available to run around and get it taken care of. And Self, your re-fiance will get done sooner or later, you're very blessed to know a most wonderful loan officer-that you should have just gone with in the first place! Also Self, when you do call Alex-tomorrow-chances are that he wasn't waiting or worried and you really should stop torturing yourself with visions of what orphan life is like, besides if he was waiting for your call then he'll even be more happier to hear your voice tomorrow and the great news that you have a submission date and a rough estimate of when you'll be there! So Self, knock it off and cheer up!!"

Travel Talk...

So I made the call today to Delta Airlines with just guesstimated dates of travel. I told them May 14th with a return of June 12th. (I can always hope it will be less than a month right?) So round trip without overnight layovers from SLC to Paris to Kiev is roughly $1, 345-$1,375 and one way back home for my Alex is $1,962. Yes, that's right, it will cost more to get him home then to get James and I back and forth. So the sweet Delta agent put me on hold to see if there were any discounts for adoption travel and came back with this option:
The adoption rate for a round trip ticket is........$2,196!!
BUT you can change your dates as needed with no charge. (Where as the other option is a $200 change charge plus the difference in fare) HOWEVER, the other part of Delta's adoption discount is fabulous! They will only charge your child 1/2 the price of whatever ticket price you paid to get over there (be it the regular rate or the adoption rate) to get them home. So, if I elect to go with the original rate, Alex can travel back for 1/2 that rate. Simple math tells me that the original rate even with paying for a date change would be better than the adoption rate for me and make Alex's ticket roughly $680-$690. That is a substantial savings! Thanks Delta!!
Someone told me that flying into JFK as one trip and then flying to Kiev would be cheaper. I ran this through the Delta representative and it would be about $15-$20 dollars cheaper. But it's possible that they would only give Alex the 1/2 rate discount back to JFK and not home to SLC. So I'd probably end up paying much more for his ticket to SLC, canceling out any savings I made by splitting up my flights. Oh...I know I'm losing some of you on this post..it's getting pretty hairy.
ONE OF THE CATCHES of the adoption discount is you have to fly Delta, no connecting flights on France Air or anything. So flying from SLC to Pairs and taking a connection to Kiev on France Air is out. You have to fly into JFK and then on to Kiev and I didn't actually get a quote for that flight now that I think about it. Good gravy....
OF course this is all speculative and my made up dates did involve weekend travel to come home and it is about $30 cheaper to fly out during the week then the weekend. Again, I didn't actually get the quote for the SLC-JFK-Kiev flight. But at least I have an idea of what kind of money we're looking at.
I asked about bags and you get to check two bags under 50 pounds per person for FREE, have one carry on and one personal item. Extra bags are $200 for the first and $350 for the second.(Zikes!) As mentioned we'll have extra bags with the humanitarian donation from our Stake. I guess James will have to only pack ONE bag and bring a bag of socks & underwear for the orphanage? I hope Jen's husband can do the same.
Meanwhile, I had sent an email request to Golden Rule Travel which is a referral I got off of another families blog. They "specialize in international adoption, humanitarian, and missionary travel". I typed in my requested dates and places and apparently a real person is going to get back with me via email or telephone.
I've tried a number of those sites that compare rates and give you the best rate (with the best rate being about $1,150) but most everyone is giving me Delta flights with overnight layovers and I'm thinking the "adoption discount" is not something you can do over the Internet as it took the representative at least 10 minutes to figure it out while I sat on hold. Besides, I'd just like to get there directly without staying the night anywhere else and come home even faster!
I'll let you know what I hear back from Golden Travel. If anyone has any other ideas, suggestions or frequent flier miles they want to part with (I'm kidding) .....let me know!!

**************2:24 pm Update********
Golden Rule Travel just emailed me and for the same guesstimated dates they can fly us from SLC-O'Hara-Kiev for $1180 round trip (no overnight stay) AND Alex's ticket will be about $600 AND changes to the return date are $50 plus any fare increase. (Sweet!)
I have tentative bookings for these tickets and they will hold them up until 14 days before departure. I was told, "For adoption travel to Ukraine, we rely mostly on our humanitarian contract with Lufthansa/United" So I take it were flying United? Then Lufthansa?
Golden Rule asked who my adoption agency was, I told them Adoption Way and they said, "I'm glad to hear that you're with Adoption Way. They have an excellent reputation." (That's always good to hear!) I told this travel agent I'd pass his email along to other families so email me if you'd like it. I think this is who we'll be flying with unless anyone comments and tells me horror stories or experiences. (Please don't be shy.... tell me if you have any!!)
I had a mom call that read my post this morning. She flew Delta and loved the service but said to get your children a ticket before you get there. Decide on their name and purchase them a ticket in their new name because the adoption discount only applies if they have certain seats available and if you wait until everything finalizes in the Ukraine, by the time you book your flight home those seats may not be available. It cost her $2,400 for each child to get them home OR she could have stayed an extra week in the Ukraine to get the 1/2 price rate later.
She also mentioned that the "adoption" fare is a waste of money. (Just like my simple math concluded!) But did speak highly of Delta as far as service.
I also asked her if she had any other tips for our travel and she said when you get into Kiev you have to get through immigration on your own and they're going to ask where you'll be staying. You will not have met the driver or anyone form Adoption Way at this time nor can you as you're behind security. The answer is put the SDA, Kiev on your form. Good thing to know!
Thanks so much! We adoption parents need to stick together. Anyone else out there with suggestions, ideas or warnings?

Another blessing....

So, part of my stress (besides the paper work, the constant worry about Alex, the approval and of course the major cost) is that James works a pretty structured work schedule and he's not been with his company for very long.
I've been just hoping and praying our travel date will coincide with his two weeks off and everything will be smooth and he'll get back in time to start his new shift.
Today, he talked with his boss about our adoption situation and the need to travel to the Ukraine and his boss told him not to worry, that if he needs more time off or needs to get off early, they'll work with us. He can pick up extra day's to make up for missed days or whatever. This comes as an extreme shock as they just seem so hard nosed and straight laced. His boss explained, we're all about family here. We want people to show up to work and work but we're all about family and whatever you need, you just let us know.
I am speechless....what a blessing!

Ode to January!

Twas the month after Christmas,
And all through the house,
Nothing would fit me,
Not even a blouse.

The cookies I'd nibbled,
The chocolate I'd taste
At the holiday parties
Had gone to my waist.


When I got on the scales
There arose such a number!
When I walked to the store
(less a walk than a lumber),

I'd remember the marvellous meals I'd prepared;
The gravies and sauces and beef nicely rared,
The wine and the rum balls, the bread and the cheese
And the way I'd never said, "No thank you, please."


As I dressed myself in my husband's old shirt
And prepared once again to do battle with dirt...
I said to myself, as I only can,
"You can't spend a winter, disguised as a man!"

So, away with the last of the sour cream dip.
Get rid of the fruit cake, every cracker and chip.
Every last bit of food that I like must be banished
Till all the additional ounces have vanished.


I won't have a cookie, not even a lick.
I'll want only to chew on a long celery stick.
I won't have hot biscuits, or corn bread, or pie.
I'll munch on a carrot and quietly cry.


I'm hungry, I'm lonesome, and life is a bore...
But isn't that what January is for?
Unable to giggle, no longer a riot.
Happy New Year to all, and to all a good diet.

I did not write this and don't know who did but it's very true. Due to my extreme anxiety with regards to this adoption I've been feeding my stress with chocolates and cookies so last week the day the SDA opened, I gave up sweets. (In an effort to give up something for something I want more...I know a little psycho.)
I am allowing sweets on Sundays.(Come on, I'm not THAT good!) So yesterday I made a big pan of German Chocolate Brownies and they were wonderful! It was really hard last week, I had a "lack of sugar" headache almost everyday but I did it! This week will be hard because of Rylee's b-day and she wants a Costco carrot cake. Yum. I love Costco cakes and the cream cheese frosting is my fav! I think I'll just cut myself a big piece and put it in the freezer for Sunday! My goal (besides my crazy offering of sacrifice for this adoption to go smoothly) is to lose a few pounds before our trip to the Ukraine and another ten while there. My theory is that I hate beets and that's what borscht is made out of and that's the only Ukrainian food I know. Besides that, I am not very brave at trying new foods so I'm bound to lose weight...right? (Or gain by eating at McDonald's everyday? I know they have a McDonald's!) Anyway, that's my fantasy....come home with my boy and be 2 sizes smaller!

Random Post....

Sunday night. Kids watching TV. Dishwasher running. And I'm doing my favorite thing, reading through blogs of my friends and family.
Tomorrow I'm heading to the appostille office to re-do one document that I'll be sending overnight  to Ukraine on Thursday or Friday along with two other families. I have everything else ready to go. (Three other notarized document's - due to type errors and crossed out notary issues!)
A friend of mine who is also adopting told me her husband views our submission date like getting a wrist band to buy a concert ticket. We've got the neon bracelet that looks exciting and important yet no ticket to get in the door! He's right you know? Until we get approval, we really are just wandering around looking at our paper bracelet or in our case, the highlighted date on the calendar.
Saturday our Stake collected underwear and socks for Jen and I to take to the orphanage. Oh my. I hope we can get it all there. It's amazing how generous people are and how with everyone just bringing a few items pretty soon you have A LOT of items! I'm going to try and bargain with the airlines for an extra bag in the name of humanity aid. Think they'll go for it?
I write to Alex every week. Sometimes more than once and I mail out every Monday but I'm calling him on Tuesday and I'm sure I'll just be repeating anything I would write so I think I'll just call. Besides he owes me....I think I've written him about 12 times to his two!
Crazy busy week ahead of me. With girls in two different plays, kids with two different basketball practices, three dance classes, carpools, Ry's B-day party, basketball games, house showings, listing appointments, appostille drop off, and continuing ed class. Sounds fun doesn't it?
In an effort to improve myself, try new things and do something I've always wanted to do, I'm starting taking a guitar class. After 5 years, it's about time. In my fantasy world, I'll strum the guitar as my children quietly prepare to go to bed and they'll doze off to the sweet sounds of humming and strumming and grow up with tender memories of their mother. I know, you're laughing, and saying "Right!" but I can always have hope can't I? James bought me a guitar years ago when I then fantasied about strumming around the campfire with my young women. I tried to teach myself which was a joke. My problem is my fingers aren't tough so it hurts, and I love to sing so I stop trying to find the notes (besides my fingers are bleeding) and just sit there and sing and hold the guitar as a prop. I'm going with a friend in my ward to be taught by a lady in our Stake who we're paying with brownies and Diet Coke! Now if I could find a voice teacher that would work for that! (Kambree and I aspire to be great vocalist-or at the least-get great parts in our community theater summer productions!)
Adoption Paper Work Info:
If you haven't been to the appostille office yet be sure to get one copy of your passport notarized and apppstilled in addition to your two notarized passports. Do not send the appostilled passport with the dossier. Keep them as you will need them for traveling!

So what does a submission date mean?

It means that roughly 20 working days from our submission date we'll (with any luck) have our paper work approved and our SDA (State Department of Adoptions) date and know when we're traveling. Normally this is 6-8 weeks after approval. That puts us about mid May. :)
So my mind's been going 100 miles an hour since our great news yesterday. And in an effort to remain in motion and because I've got to do SOMETHING I'm thinking I'll research air fare prices.
My friend mentioned on one of the morning shows (I can't remember which one and haven't been able to find any links on any of the sites I've gone to?) that they were talking about adoption grants. I've researched this before but got no where. So if anyone has a fabulous connection or idea or knows if this is worth pursuing, please let me know!
Family News....
Remember how I was complaining a few post back that my children don't say cute funny things like they did when they were toddlers? Last night Austin (my almost 15 year old) asked if when Dad builds his bedroom could he plumb him in a drinking fountain? I'm like, "You're kidding? Right?" Nope, he was perfectly serious. After explaining the need for water access and a drain, both of which are no where near his new bedroom, he's still under the impression that it shouldn't be that hard. I gave up and told him to ask his Dad when he gets home. (I hope I'm around for this conversation!)
Report cards are out! Yikes! (Out of respect for Austin we'll not be discussing his report card but sufficed to say Alex will not be the only one going to school this summer.)
Kambree made honor roll (yes, with four college courses) and Devree got her 2nd 4.0 perfect report card. Yikes! Why "yikes" you ask? Because back when Kambree was a struggling 7th grader I proposed, as an incentive, for honor roll we'd pay $50 and for 4.0's we'd pay $100. (Not thinking ahead and/or realizing how tenacious and conquering Devree is about homework and all things related to school!) Yep, that's right. Devree will probably cost me $400 a year for the next six years.
Last night we hit Office Depot for folders, binders, pencils and yet another special calculator Kambree needs for a math class. Luckily her old calculator will now be passed to Austin. We then hit Big 5 for gym shoes for Austin and we're now officially ready for the new term! Whew...who said public schooling was free?