A Home for the Holidays

I just finished watching the TV special "A Home for the Holidays" hosted by Faith Hill who was adopted. The show highlighted children in foster care in the United States and the need for adoptive parents.
It really pulled at my heart and I found myself crying. The show itself was good--I am a Faith Hill fan so I liked it. I think it had a good message too but it was hard for me to watch. All this waiting and working through all phases of the process is just so hard and I was feeling sorry for myself as I saw those other families formed through adoption. I also felt sorry for the featured kids who wanted to be adopted and stated "It is hard to get adopted but I will keep trying". I have to ask myself again (as so many times in the past)--If there are so many waiting children and so many waiting parents, why is is so hard to adopt or be adopted?? It doesn't make sense to me and the waiting is just so so hard.

Sorry for the downer at the Holidays. I really am ready for Christmas and am looking forward to spending it with my family.
Merry Christmas to all of you.

The Nutcracker

My mom and her sister came to visit me this weekend and we attended two great Christmas shows.
One of them was the Moscow Ballet's "Great Russian Nutcracker". I was so excited to see it and it was just as I imagined it would be--magical. The ballet performers were so so good and of course I especially liked it because it was the Moscow Ballet--I felt like I was showing my mom some beautiful Russian culture.
We had a great time.

Homework--finished

First I want to say Thanks to everyone for the kind words and expresions of sympathy and caring during my Dad's illness and after his death. It means so much to me.

Last week I finished my homework that my agency had given me after my parenting classes--it is the same they give everyone. I answered so many questions about myself, my decision to adopt, my trans-cultural parenting plan and plan for parenting when the adopted child is over one year at adoption. It was quite extensive--My answers turned out to be 20 typed pages long!! I am so glad that I did it though as it makes you examine everything you can think of about adopting internationally.
I got it mailed into my agency and the very next day they called to say they received it and a social worker would be in contact with me within a week. It is really exciting to feel the process is underway again. I am praying for a speedier proces with a better outcome this time around.
My first I-171H expired in Nov. and I sent in for the extension and country change so I am waiting on that but hopefully soon it will be here also.