YES- IT'S TRUE!!!!!
We are going to Haiti to pick up Rory FINALLY!
We are leaving this coming Wednesday and will return home with our fantastically handsome little boy on Saturday!
We are totally in shock (which, yes, I know, we shouldn't be). We can't believe that it's finally here! We are totally on cloud 9 and just counting the days until we get to see him again! Yahoo! We have our flights BOOKED (oh my god... feels so good to say that!!) and working on hotel accommodations tonight.
I can't wait to go back to the creche. I know that to an outsider, that may seem strange, but it is literally like an oasis with dozens of the sweetest children on the planet. It is better than any hotel or resort than I've ever been to (not that I put it in that category). The place just does something to your state of mind! Not a care in the world, and nothing but oodles of love to go around. I would continually go there if I could.
Note: While I am super excited, you probably don't want to call.... I've lost most of my voice and I'm sick so it will do you no good anyway. I promise to keep the blog updated as much as possible and maybe even while we are in Haiti if the computer is up and working.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Saturday, February 21, 2009
The wait continues.... for now
Here's the latest on our neverending-saga:
Rory had his visa appt on Thursday and we are just waiting for the VISA to be issued. We hoped it would be Friday, but alas, no visa. AND, Ash Wednesday is this Wednesday and Carnivale, as they call it, is on all week. All government offices are closed until Wednesday. So the earliest we can expect to get Rory's visa is Wed/Thurs. I guess it's like Mardi Gras? Can't really say. I guess it's for the best... apparently things get really crazy for this holiday, and it's best we not travel then according to our sources.
More interesting however is Rory's name. All along, we were spelling it Erleyorson, but we got the official word that it is really spelled Orleyorson with an O. Someone along the way read the birth certificate wrong... and there you go. It won't cause any problems (knock on wood) because our forms have been filled out for both E and O- which was super fun. So his name on his passport reads ORLEYORSON LAFRANCE VAUGHN. Holy mouthful! Vanna, can I buy a vowel?
But, we are super excited to be this much closer. Our social worker says that she expects us to travel the first week of March (so basically a week from now). Yay! I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that the visa comes though with no real issues. Anyway, I'm planning for our travel in one week and getting everything together. Today, the suitcases came downstairs (which have been upstairs for the last 6 months). I began weighing them and packing and repacking them because we are taking down about 150 lbs in donations. I washed some of Rory's clothes and packed them a couple toys. Exciting stuff for me, anyway!
Rory had his visa appt on Thursday and we are just waiting for the VISA to be issued. We hoped it would be Friday, but alas, no visa. AND, Ash Wednesday is this Wednesday and Carnivale, as they call it, is on all week. All government offices are closed until Wednesday. So the earliest we can expect to get Rory's visa is Wed/Thurs. I guess it's like Mardi Gras? Can't really say. I guess it's for the best... apparently things get really crazy for this holiday, and it's best we not travel then according to our sources.
More interesting however is Rory's name. All along, we were spelling it Erleyorson, but we got the official word that it is really spelled Orleyorson with an O. Someone along the way read the birth certificate wrong... and there you go. It won't cause any problems (knock on wood) because our forms have been filled out for both E and O- which was super fun. So his name on his passport reads ORLEYORSON LAFRANCE VAUGHN. Holy mouthful! Vanna, can I buy a vowel?
But, we are super excited to be this much closer. Our social worker says that she expects us to travel the first week of March (so basically a week from now). Yay! I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that the visa comes though with no real issues. Anyway, I'm planning for our travel in one week and getting everything together. Today, the suitcases came downstairs (which have been upstairs for the last 6 months). I began weighing them and packing and repacking them because we are taking down about 150 lbs in donations. I washed some of Rory's clothes and packed them a couple toys. Exciting stuff for me, anyway!
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Cell phones... friend or foe?
The last two days I've been attending a conference on high-ability (gifted) education at the convention center downtown. It's been really insightful... lots of info and suggestions. But here's my thing. I can't BEGIN to count the times someone's cell phone went off in the middle of a presentation by a very highly-regarded speaker. Why is this? Don't people understand the completely rude message that sends?
I used to give people the benefit of the doubt, thinking "oh, they've left their phone on by accident- how embarrassing". I could probably be accused of this MAYBE once. But, it's beginning to happen on such a frequent basis that I can't ignore the odds anymore. People are purposely leaving their phones on! WHY?
Here's my theory: I believe that people honestly believe that no one cares. They see other people doing it so it must be okay. Then they begin to convince themselves that what they whatever they are dealing with is a certifiable 'emergency', and therefore, they believe they are entitled to leave their phone on. HOGWASH, I SAY! What happend to basic manners???!!!??? So, I think that today, my response was appropriate. YOU'D BE SO PROUD!
Around 10:15 AM, at my table during a presentation, a woman's cell phone began BLARING 'when the saints come marching in' (puhleeeeze). After about 20 seconds of digging in her purse - it's ringing the whole time- she finally finds it. Does she shut it off? Oh, no. She answers the phone and begins to carry on a converstion. Now, the roads were really bad this morning, she could have been a principal with an urgent matter, an organ donor, or a whole host of legit emergencies... which would justify her behavior. No, it was from what I could tell, her husband and they were discussing their car being in the shop and trying to work out how they were going to get it that evening. So, I, in all my confidence that everyone at the table was on my side, leaned across the table slightly and said "Excuse me, ma'am? Do you mind? I'm having a difficult time hearing the speaker." I could feel everyone at the table bathe me in silent, approving applause. I had done what no one else had the guts to do and felt triumph! Glorious triumph. Put her right in her spot!
Do I hate cell phones? No - love mine, even thought no one calls me:) but, I think that if more people put these rude, abnoxious, self-elevating, cell phone ADDICTS in their place, we'd all be happier. Don't let another one of these 'users' ruin your meeting/dinner/movie....
This is a call to arms, people! A revolution! A grass-roots movement to bring back POLITENESS! YES WE CAN!
I used to give people the benefit of the doubt, thinking "oh, they've left their phone on by accident- how embarrassing". I could probably be accused of this MAYBE once. But, it's beginning to happen on such a frequent basis that I can't ignore the odds anymore. People are purposely leaving their phones on! WHY?
Here's my theory: I believe that people honestly believe that no one cares. They see other people doing it so it must be okay. Then they begin to convince themselves that what they whatever they are dealing with is a certifiable 'emergency', and therefore, they believe they are entitled to leave their phone on. HOGWASH, I SAY! What happend to basic manners???!!!??? So, I think that today, my response was appropriate. YOU'D BE SO PROUD!
Around 10:15 AM, at my table during a presentation, a woman's cell phone began BLARING 'when the saints come marching in' (puhleeeeze). After about 20 seconds of digging in her purse - it's ringing the whole time- she finally finds it. Does she shut it off? Oh, no. She answers the phone and begins to carry on a converstion. Now, the roads were really bad this morning, she could have been a principal with an urgent matter, an organ donor, or a whole host of legit emergencies... which would justify her behavior. No, it was from what I could tell, her husband and they were discussing their car being in the shop and trying to work out how they were going to get it that evening. So, I, in all my confidence that everyone at the table was on my side, leaned across the table slightly and said "Excuse me, ma'am? Do you mind? I'm having a difficult time hearing the speaker." I could feel everyone at the table bathe me in silent, approving applause. I had done what no one else had the guts to do and felt triumph! Glorious triumph. Put her right in her spot!
Do I hate cell phones? No - love mine, even thought no one calls me:) but, I think that if more people put these rude, abnoxious, self-elevating, cell phone ADDICTS in their place, we'd all be happier. Don't let another one of these 'users' ruin your meeting/dinner/movie....
This is a call to arms, people! A revolution! A grass-roots movement to bring back POLITENESS! YES WE CAN!
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