Another chapter is beginning….

Yesterday was a HUGE day for us…honestly I was a freak all day long and was glad I was home alone so nobody could witness my desire to burst into tears…last night we had our first home study. Home study you ask??? And my answer is that we have decided to expand our family through adoption. I have been so excited and having a horrible time containing myself because I just want to shout it on the streets, but I promised N I would wait for our first visit to be completed.

So, WE ARE ADOPTING!!!

The visit went really well, I was freaking out for nothing, well not for ‘nothing’ but it certainly wasn’t as stressful as I anticipated. We are using the same home study agency as my sister, Building Arizona Families, and we are very happy with them. We are very eager to get the process started…but we also don’t want to stress ourselves out either, if that is possible. I won’t go into detail now, but that is the BIG CHANGE I was talking about and we are absolutely in love with this new chapter of our life…many wonderful changes ahead.

See why my heart is smiling???

Random Blah Blah Blah...

I am done turning my blog into a weapon…LOL. Laurie at Pho for Five has written a great post regarding the article and the fact that Laurie is very knowledgeable on adoption and volunteering adds some great points to the issue at hand. It is worth the read if you have a second. I received another lame response from the editor and just kind of feel sad for all involved. I am sad that this Sarah lady sucks so much (and that she has the same name as me) and sad for the people this article hurts, mostly being my sister’s family. If you have the time or the anger go to the website and express it. Here is the link to the article. Thanks again!

Sunday morning I took Tae to the zoo. We have not been in FOREVER and we usually go a couple of times a month. We desperately needed some mommy & T time and even more desperately we needed a little fun. Just went for the morning, since we had to get home so I could work on the house. Poor kid thinks I am the most boring mom in the world and that I have a deep passion for house work…both of which are so NOT TRUE. Anyhow, the zoo was really fun and a great work out, which tubby over here (that’s me) really needed.

The house is complete, still some boxes in the garage but those don’t count, I finished just in time and it looks amazing (remember yesterday was my deadline). I am in heaven this morning because I feel like we are at a hotel or resort or something. It seriously is that clean and organized around here. If you live close you may want to stop by, not sure how long this will last…It is SO amazing!

Miss T missed school all last week because she had a sinus infection/cough catastrophe and was finally back at school yesterday. But is home again today due to a case of the throw ups :( I am happy to have her here with me today, just feel bad because she really LOVES school and of course I hate when she is feeling icky.

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Happy Anniversary Hubby...

I LOVE YOU!

LIVID…A whole lot of PISSED headed this lady's way...UPDATED Again

UPDATE 2:They have removed the boys’ names, they have changed the title of the article, they have removed the pictures of the children, and they have posted a completely LAME comment/apology from the author. Oh, and they have basically stopped posting comments. I did not get a response from the editor regarding my last email…but that’s not going to stop me. This is what I just sent him…

Tim,

I am wondering if you can point in the right direction of who I
can speak with about having this article removed? The article that is now being
called "US halts orphans from Vietnam". I would like to know how far we
will have to go in order for this to happen. It is slander and it is
inappropriate. Sarah Nichols is exploiting two young boys in order to
portray a very inaccurate situation. She doesn't even have correct facts
regarding the corruption in the adoption process. Yes, she is successful
in displaying a proper block quote, but just because it is a quote regarding
Vietnam adoption it does not make it accurate to this situation. I can guarantee
you that the negative response you are getting in regards to this piece, and
specifically regarding my nephews (the "twins") will not end. So what do I
need to do to get this publication removed?

Great job keeping this as a one sided story, not allowing
any comments typically accomplishes that!

I am sure I will have more tomorrow. My head is pounding...must go to bed...still pissed! Last thought, I find it odd that she feels she has the right to exploit the boys yet she doesn't even say what city or orphanage she was in...also who has ever been to a G&R for 6 babies that has only lasted 20 minutes??

****************************************************

UPDATE: Just received this email in response to my endless comments and threat of a lawsuit...

Hi Sarah,
I refer to the article 'Vietnamese orphans for sale', by Sarah
Nichols, published in Eureka Street on 20 February.
Following a string of
comments objecting to the use of the given names of twin boys mentioned in the
article, the names have since been removed. We regret any hurt that may have
been caused to the relevant parties by their inclusion.
The article is not
intended as a judement on anyone, but as a compassionate reflection on what is
an emotionally and ethically complex situation. There are other viewpoints that
are relevant to the subject, and hopefully these have been adequately
represented by the sequence of comments now posted at the base of the
article.

Maybe those viewpoints would be better represented if they stopped editing the
comments to their liking...I'm just saying!

This is my response:

Thank you for your timely response. I do want you to know that the information used in this article regarding the "twin boys" is not accurate and you most likely will continue to receive comments based on that fact. I do question why comments are being edited? It is hard for the points of the article to be adequately represented when the comments are not published as they were intended. It is hard to reflect on the issues of the article with compassion when children are being exploited. While I am appreciative of the fact that you removed their names, that issue is only half of the problem when you consider the information provided about their situation is not accurate. The tone of the article in reference to our family is unacceptable. It is a shame that someone would feel the need to slander a child in this way, let alone an entire family.

******************************************************

A volunteer from the boys’ orphanage decided to publish a little piece about her views on the orphanage/adoption process. Her article, while trying to touch on points that have already been addressed…ENDLESSLY…completely looses any value when she decided to use THE BOYS’ NAMES!!! I am LIVID…I have submitted numerous comments to the website as well as sending her an email directly…Just happens that she was one of the “NICE” volunteers that would email my sister. Nothing irks me more than someone out for their own personal gain…at the expense of others…who steps on little kids??? SERIOUSLY!!!

Here is a link to the so called article. Please post a comment expressing your dissatisfaction with exploitation of small children.

And here is the email I sent her…to say I am pissed is an understatement.

“While it is apparent that you feel very
highly of the time you spent in Vietnam, I would suggest in the future you
research both side of a story before you create an “article” based on your view
of the events you have witnessed. I find it extremely offensive that you
would go as far as using children’s’ names in your “article”, clearly only
considering the weight it would carry in your “article” rather than the weight
it would carry in the lives of those children. How dare you! There
are so many aspects of orphanage life that you fail to mention. Your story
paints a picture of a woman with a limited view and a one sided story. It is
easy to critique a situation once you are removed from it. “

Above is the comment I published on the Eureka Street
website. I doubt that it will be published as it does not reflect on your
piece in a positive light. I am the Aunt of the twins you mention in your
article and I find the piece you have put together to be very offensive. I
know that I am not alone in this situation and the website has no doubt received
various comments that do not support the information you published, mainly the
fact that you felt you had the right to use their NAMES. I find it very
interesting that you felt the need to stretch the truth on many facts you stated
about the boys and about their birth mother. There is truth and there are
lies…there is no in-between; I believe you overlooked this fact while you were
writing your “article”. I assume that you did not expect this publication
to travel to our family so quickly, however it has. You were not the only
person in the orphanage and you were not even there the day the boys left, you
KNOW that your information is not factual. Did you consider the fact that the
boys are 10 and yes they do know how to talk?? Plus, you didn’t think it was
necessary to even look into where the boys are now, how they are doing, what
they have had to overcome from life in the orphanage??? That didn’t cross your
mind?? Maybe get a little more information about the other side of the
picture??? I think that you felt the need to USE THEM to make your piece
seem more powerful, which it does in a NEGATIVE way.

How dare you!!! How dare you befriend my sister
and communicate with her during her wait. How dare you care for the boys and act
as if you were trying to help them while you were in Vietnam. How dare you
think that you have the right to publish an article that is full of slander and
so hurtful to 2 little boys! How dare you talk about them as if you care! How
dare you belittle them and speak of them as if they are just something to be
BOUGHT!!! HOW DARE YOU!

Did you even OPEN your eyes while you were in Vietnam,
or was your entire stay focused on what aspects would be really great for a 'grad
school' piece??? What kind of person are you?

I would suggest that you either have the article removed
or at the very least remove the boys’ names. You had no right to use their
names and I would have thought, if you consider yourself a journalist, you would
have known that.

Please feel free to respond I would be HAPPY to
discuss this matter further.

Now I am even more pissed! Just went to the website and they TOTALLY edited my comment!!! What the @#&%!!!!!!! They took out the part where I call her out on using the boys' NAMES! If you would like to email your comment to this person directly, email me at chasingt at gmail dot com and I will gladly pass her email on. :)

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The Cough...

Coughing coughing coughing coughing….incessant COUGHING!!!

We have been drawing pictures on the steamy bathroom mirror for the last 40 minutes.

I don’t want to be starting this all over again.

I am feeling really bad for my girl!


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I am good….

But I think she might be better???

Remember the grapefruits…remember how the girl didn’t think 50 cents was a fair payment to pick them up??? Today she was outside playing in her tykes car and was on her way to the gas station when she realized she didn’t have any money to pay for her gas (the shame)…It was my window of opportunity…I seized the moment…

"Hey Tae, If you pick up the grapefruits I will give you money to buy your gas. What do you think?”

“Okay Mommy!!! My gas costs a dollar.”

See!!! She is always just a little step ahead of me.

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272....

...that is how many unread posts I have in my reader!!!! That is how busy I am these days. Crazy busy around here. So busy that I have missed cute holiday posts and birthday wishes for a dear friend…so busy that I have not taken a picture in about a week…which is horrible because I really have an awesome reason to take pictures and it just is not happening right now. My head is spinning and I am running around this house like a MAD woman…but it is all coming together, finally. I am a bit of an emotional FREAK right now but all within reason and completely legitimate. I am happy…SO HAPPY and so excited…and yet so scared. I am determined…really determined. This past year has really broken my heart and I can finally feel it healing…I can feel it becoming whole again. I am overjoyed with the events ahead and the road ahead and I wonder if my heart has the capacity to smile that BIG. I really do wonder if my heart will burst because it is already smiling just with the thought of the tomorrows.

I am a Magic Fairy and it sucks…

Where is my magic fairy…you know the one who comes over and magically organizes and puts all your stuff away (I guess they are also called a maid…or a wife…no wait, a mom…how about a mofe or a wim). Is that too much to ask for?? I want one too!!! I am up to my elbows in boxes of crap we have not used in YEARS and trying to find a home for all of it is exhausting. Add the 4 year old tornado that follows my path, strategically wrecking havoc on my freshly organized clothes, books, movies, dress up, shoes…you pick, same result either way. Then add the rain storm we had and the FIFTY grapefruits and oranges that are scattered in our backyard. Consequently I am having a hard time not flipping my lid. I tried to convince Tae to pick up the fruit and put it in a bucket…I told her I would give her a quarter…she told me that was not enough money! Damn! So I upped my price to 50 cents and she said she would do it, but it wouldn’t be done quickly (she is tough to barter with). She picked up about ten of them and then told me she didn’t want the quarters that bad.

Back to unpacking crap…just wanted to let you know I was alive and I did survive the ‘passion’ party…LOL. I laughed my A$$ off which was nice…I needed that :)
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A Passion WHAT???

The email said…

“I’ll pick you up at 5. Bring $25 for a basket of passion gifts, white elephant style. It should be really fun!”

WHAT?

Okay, so first off I had the wrong definition for white elephant. In my mind it meant used…so gross! Passion gifts and USED was all I had in my head and the look of YUCK was all over my face.

I was CONFUSED.

I didn’t want to go anymore but I had already said yes to the “girl’s night”…

Apparently to all normal humans (that means people other than me) white elephant is a style of gift exchange. Big pile of gifts, first person opens a gift; second person can take first person’s gift or take a new gift from the pile…and so on. Everything is new…nothing used!!! What a relief.

I can see how that might be fun. It will be a good ice breaker since I will only know one person there. Hard to feel any more awkward than anyone else when you are sitting around holding baskets full of PASSION. Unless you are a passion collector…then you might feel right at home and not awkward at all.

Never been to one of these parties before…closest thing was one of N’s soccer parties. It was parents only and it was for Christmas. They were the most wacked group of parents I have ever encountered…the prized gift was a pair of candy panties and matching bra only pieces were MISSING…Tonight’s party should be much better. More PASSION ya know??

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Gettin' my play date on...

So the play date is full steam ahead…girls are playing house/grocery shopping. One is the Mom and one is the sister…not sure how that’s possible…but I know it’s not legal.









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} catch(err) {}Tae keeps saying “please don’t make a mess…my mommy will make me clean it up!” True Dat!

Just Sarah babble..

Not a whole lot going on over here…I have been having fun hanging out with Tae more…I am only working in the mornings, so it only makes sense to have T at school just in the mornings. It is awesome but exhausting and the day is just different. Right now I am avoiding a school project and unwinding with a little American Idol.

I am starting to notice some of the malfunctions of Vista on my computer and don’t really know what to do about it.

I keep getting those “write 25 random things about you” notes on facebook and the thought of filling one out is terrifying…not sure why, just gives me a rock in my stomach.

Tae continues to amaze me. She is on the verge of being a full blown reader and it completely blows my mind. Honestly I don’t think I could really read until I was about 7, sad I know. Now I have the brainiest child who follows me around with a piece of paper and a pen asking me how to spell “scorpions live in the palm trees in front of my house.” Yeah, I know!!! But then I totally flip because she writes it all correctly.

I got the BEST package in the mail for the “sock swap”. Seriously, I want to call the person who sent it to me and ask her if she wants to be best-ies. Awesome packaging, cute socks, chocolate, AND a handmade felted Valentine’s pot holder... I couldn’t ask for more. Way above and beyond…feel a little bad for my person who got orange socks with blue snails on them…cute socks but no chocolate or note.

Actually eating the chocolate now…why not.

I have 20 days to have my house, which is still over half boxed up, clean and organized. I am FREAKING out about this. It stresses me to the point that I don’t even know where to start.

Tae is having her first non-family friend over for a play date after school tomorrow. That’s weird isn’t it??? We have lived here almost 2 years and this is the first time she has had someone over…poor girl. I totally pulled one of the “Hey, can I pick your kid up early from school so she can play with my kid? I’ll bring her home after dinner!?!.” The same question other parents have asked me and I always say “NO” thinking…I don’t know you…my kid is awesome, you might decide to keep her! I don’t even know where you LIVE!

Anyone want to do my homework for me???

Man, I love that girl TAE!!! LOVE her. She is sunshine in my heart. She is like holding all the beauty of life in the cup of my hand. LOVE her.

100 piece puzzle Tae did this afternoon...she is really good at puzzles. Surprised?

Holy Mother of Goodness.....

Updated

It’s all over. I survived. It was actually really fun. They are a good group of boys, very polite and one of them even brought me flowers. The dishes are in the dishwasher, the kitchen is clean and Miss T is in bed.

Good times :)

********************************************************************

What was I thinking????

Tonight N is having his entire varsity soccer team over for dinner. Tomorrow is the first of the playoff games for their team and we (I did agree to cook, total lapse in judgment) thought it was a good idea to have a dinner for the boys. I am a crazy mad woman running around town trying to buy and make enough food to feed 25 human garbage disposals…wish me luck…they will be here in less than 3 hours...YIKES!

Spaghetti all the way!!!