Adoption Update

We had our first meeting with our social worker last week. I wasn't sure what to expect, and I was a little nervous. Would she have a good first impression and think we are good candidates to parent a child? Or would she think we were too old, too weird and too poor?

But overall, it was a very nice meeting. I like our social worker. She's been at The Cradle (our home study agency) for over 20 years. We talked for over 2 hours about why we want to adopt, why Ethiopia, what age we should consider, our backgrounds, etc. Nothing too probing yet. At the end of our conversation, she gave us a stack of paperwork to read and fill out. It's a bit daunting, but we're just taking it one step at a time. Right now it looks like Ethiopia is a good fit for us, and we're thinking about adopting a 3-4 year old. However, our social worker seemed to think the younger the better (for attachment reasons and because we're first time parents). So our age preference may get younger. If that happens, we may need to find another International agency, because Wide Horizons doesn't let you choose the gender of the child if you want a child under 3. Or, we would need to be open to a boy. Not that I'm against adopting a boy, but I have 13 nephews and I know how much energy they have when they're 3 -- they're constant motion! I seriously wonder if David and I would have enough energy for that.

So we're starting the paperwork, taking classes (we're required to take a day-long class at The Cradle in April and a handful of on-line classes), and then we'll meet with our social worker a few more times.

We're still working on our web site. We're hoping to get it finished this weekend.

In the meantime, check out the blogs of two of my on-line adoption acquaintances. They're in Ethiopia right now meeting their children for the first time!! Kristin and her husband are picking up little Marin, and Lori and Ted are getting to know little Abenezer. Adorable, eh?

A walk in the city

My new office is in the "River North" area of downtown Chicago, so we're close to Michigan Avenue, The Loop, etc. It's been too nasty outside to really take advantage of the neighborhood, but the other day when it was at least above zero and the sun was peeking out, I took a walk. Here are some pictures:

My office is on Superior Avenue, home to lots of galleries. I love these glass heads. I want to buy one.


Yes, ice falls off of the high-rises. People have died from being hit by falling ice. But I'm always curious about these signs. By the time you see a chunk of ice falling to the ground, wouldn't it be too late to get out of the way?


Here's the steeple of Holy Name Cathedral. About 13 years ago, when I was working in this exact same neighborhood at a mindless job and suffering from severe depression, I spent many of my lunch hours in this sanctuary. It was right after I had been dumped by a guy who I knew I didn't want to marry, but who had betrayed me and left me confused and hurt. I would sit and stare at the gorgeous carved wood crucifix that hangs in the front of the sanctuary and try to feel God's love.


Here's a ballerina in the Sak's window. I don't shop at Sak's because it's too expensive and the sales people are really snooty. Plus, what does a ballerina have to do with anything?


Here's Michigan avenue. I think it's about a mile or more if I walk from my office to here and back. It's a nice little workout during lunch.


The Hancock Building. It's a nice view from the top. Oh, and the thing to the left is the original Chicago water tower that survived the great fire.


Thanks for taking a walk with me today. For our next walk, we may venture into the notorious Cabrini Green neighborhood, which is being "gentrified." All of the former residents have been forced to move out, the public housing buildings are being razed, and the yuppies are moving in.

"I am sicker than a dog"

That's my new six-word memoir.

It figures. I was just bragging to a coworker last week that I NEVER get sick. HA. HA. Then two days later I'm suffering from a headache, stuffy nose, achy muscles and sore throat. I tried to plow through my weekend chores, but I had to lie down and rest every 30 minutes. I managed to pick up the house, pay some bills online, go to the grocery store. But that's about it. Otherwise I was on the couch moaning and snuffling.

Feeling a bit better this morning, although I AM SO READY FOR SPRING! Today I woke up to rain that is supposed to turn to snow this afternoon. Ugh. I contemplating taking a sick day, but couldn't decide if I was sick enough. So I took a shower, felt a bit better, drove to work in the rain, and now here I am at my desk. I'm am feeling better. It's amazing what a Grande Iced Americano can do.

Thanks to all who contributed a Six Word Memoir. I think Jane's was my favorite: Love and loss have softened me. Knowing what she's been through in the past year, it is very poignant. Read her story here.

I guess the Six Word Memoir is making the rounds. Salon.com had readers write their own. Here are some of my favorites:

"Failure was apparently an option here"
"Frankly, it is all about me."
"Don't even try to plan it."

And my all-time favorite: "Fat man in a sweater vest."

Maybe I have a strange sense of humor, but that one made me laugh out loud!

Now, here's the memoir i WANT to write: "Found my path, walked it fearlessly."

But unfortunately, too many times I question the path I'm on, and I let fear get the best of me. Then I'm paralyzed. If I could only be sure of my path and walk it fearlessly. How does one get there? How do you get to a place where you're confident of your path and have the courage to walk it with boldness and without fear?

***
Well, maybe I'm going to answer my own question: We handed in our application to The Cradle last week. We've been assigned a social worker for our home study, and so we're just waiting to get a phone call from her to set up an appointment.

It's scary and exciting at the same time.

And to make it even more exciting, last week David gave me the BEST VALENTINE'S DAY PRESENT EVER.

He gave me flowers on Valentine's Day, but told me he was "making" another gift for me that wasn't done yet. So I waited all week for my second Valentine's Gift. To be honest, I thought he was writing me a song (I couldn't think of anything else he would "make" for me). But last Sunday he finally revealed his gift: An adoption website! Yep, he's creating this whole adoption website where we can tell everyone about our exciting Ethiopian Adventure. It's almost done, and we'll be posting the URL soon. So stay tuned.....