TWENTY SEVEN MONTHS and still nothing…

It's December 2010 and whopping 27 months into our wait and still no news. I have contacted DoCS who tell me…
"There's no update news to give you really. We are still awaiting an allocation in the 0-2 age range. We've not had one in this age range since March. We know waiting times are extending due to the decreasing number of children being referred to ICAB requiring overseas families. I know this is a difficult time for families waiting to hear news so please do email / call when you need to."
Mmmm well that's hard to believe when there are 100MILLION orphans worldwide and we really only want 1, well 2 really, but not fussy, just desperate to be a family!
So it's 3 weeks til Christmas and we really thought we'd have munchkins around us this year, not looking that way currently. Honestly just to receive the phone call by Christmas would be wonderful. So I need you all to channel a prayer for us!
Meanwhile I realise that I have been very slack about updating my Blog, most of you know however that Mark did complete the Coolangatta Gold in November. It was a very tough race but he was so stoked to have finished and has happily ticked it off his Bucket List. Next challenge is parenthood! In between that though we have embarked on our house renovations which is exciting and distracting at the same time. Next year is already shaping up as a good one with news that my relatives are planning to visit Australia again and maybe a permanent move for (brother) Chris and his family, which would be fantastic. Also Mark is taking on an apprentice (my godson, Bryce) so we are looking forward to having him with us and learning from the "master".!!! Hopefully I will be posting another blog very soon, one with big letters stating … IT"S A …!!! Thanks for all your love support and prayers, make sure you add us to your prayer circle please :)

October Already!!!!

I cannot believe that we are already in the 10month of twenty10!! It's October 1, which means 2years 3 weeks since we were approved by ICAB. I still write each milestone in my diary and shake my head that it has taken this long and still no call. We can only hope and pray that we truly are so close. I am aware that ICAB are processing files at the moment in the hope to unite families in time for Christmas, Gosh I hope we are in there!!! One of my wishes since last Christmas is to be celebrating with our children, decorating a tree together and enjoying the energy that Christmas brings. If you are saying prayers, please make one for us, thanks.
Mark is just over 4 weeks out from the Coolangatta Gold. His training is going really well, and he is feeling fitter than ever. The work at home renovation idea hasn't gone so well. He commits to others before himself. But that's ok, we will find time. We both keep busy, my Tri season has started, and we have Coco and Lotti to keep us smiling. Lotti is 8months old now, and a delight. She is like a little teddy bear. Coco has warmed to her a little more now, but still remains top dog.
Today it is very peaceful and I sat quietly outside and imagined a life with little ones about, what they will look like and how they will sound. And all the new things we will learn and see and do together. Gosh we are so bursting for that to happen. It seems like I have been dreaming about that life for so long now.

August!!

I was just driving home after visiting a friend with 2 children (2.8 year old, and 9 month old girls) and I was thinking gosh that could be my life very soon. I also realised that I had not posted on my blog for, well, exactly 1 month! We feel we are so very close to getting the "call", we are edging closer and closer to the 2 year goalpost (actually it's almost 5 years since our initial EOI. WOW! We believe that out file may be on the table now and that means that it is only a matter of us being suitably matched, ICAB approving the match and informing DoCS, who then call us with the "news". I've heard stories from friends about where they were, or what they were doing at the time, and I imagine and dream about my situation when it happens. I joke too about being in a public toilet or in the queue at Woolworths. One thing is for certain, I will be celebrating. Hang in there and stay tuned it could be very soon... it WILL be very soon!

Distractions are good but we never stop praying

Distractions are great things, they occupy your mind from thoughts which may at times be all-consuming. I have exercise as one main distraction, Mark does too. So much so that he has committed himself to compete in the Coolangatta Gold in November this year. The only thing that may prevent this happening is if we happen to be in PI on this date. He has made a huge decision, for those of you you who know him well, this may come as a shock, he is having a sebbatical from work for approx 10weeks!! Yay! He has an incredible work ethic and this decision has been really hard for him. He has a few projects here at home which will keep his passion going, but he will ultimately be able to choose his training sessions at more convenient day times and not have to worry about stressful client requests (apart from mine of course!!) He has enlisted a coach to write his program and on 1 August he starts. He is amazed at how this distraction has relieved his mind from the constant thought of "when" we will get the call. I know too that when I am training and or competing I hardly ever think about "it". And it is a relief, although it never fully leaves your conscious, I am always looking up and asking the big fella to hurry up!
The Stats:
The Coolangatta Gold is a gruelling ironman race consisting of
1st Surf Ski Leg 23km
2nd Leg Beach Run 0.65km
3rd Leg Swim Leg 3.5km
4th Leg Beach Run 4km
5th Leg Board Leg 5.5km
6th Leg Beach Run 10km
TOTAL DISTANCE
46.65km

Mark hopes to complete it in 5 hrs. I will be there cheering him on, and if anyone would like to join me on the sidelines, he'd love your support, he won't be doing it again he tells me!! Yes I said you will be too busy being a Dad!

News back fom DoCS

I received an email back from DoCS today it reads:

I’ve taken a look at your file and our stats here. I note that you were approved by ICAB in September 2008. I can imagine that it has been quite a long time for you both. There’s no updated information specifically that I can shed on the program at the moment. As you are probably aware, the Philippines allocate children based on which family they believe will best meet the child’s needs. This is not necessarily in chronological order of when applicants were approved. Just for your information however, I can inform you that the last two allocations we received, applicants were approved in early 2008 – so they had waited about 2 years.

I trust this information is helpful and we will be in touch when we have further news.


SO, looks like we are staring down 2+year wait. Hang in there with me please!!!!

Friends rock

Friends rock, yes the friends that are positive and supportive and tell you with wonderful enthusiasm that they feel we are oh so close to being allocated. The same friends who spoke the same words over a year ago. Clearly the time must have flown by if I can remember those exact words!! But they are words I hang onto, they are my Mantra. I have been in contact with DoCS in Sydney to find out why the Filipino program seems to have come to a near stand still. I await their response! Last year there were 14 allocations in total for the PI program, this year from Jan-April there has only been 3, and I think perhaps one (1) from April-June. So although we are half way through the year, there is less that a third of 2009 total. Some feel there will be a flood of allocations in the later part of the year. Others are just praying that there is some movement. I personally just can't believe that it can be so slow! Knowing that there are children there in orphanages, just bursting to belong to a loving family, and our file is stuck in a cabinet awaiting (?) it totally breaks my heart. If only there was a status update of sorts, which kept you in the loop, advised you of something, anything. It appears we are so close and we live on and hope, but to be honest there are days when Mark and I discuss how we feel it will never happen, or we will be pensioners collecting child-care allowance! Then there are good days when we dream about our little one(s) sharing the moment with us. It's hard this waiting, harder than a pregnancy as there is no time cut off! Maybe DoCS may shed some light this week.

Waiting time = 22 months + 5 days

May Update

If you are desperately waiting for something to happen and it relies totally on a time factor, is it better that you wish time to speed up, only to risk getting older faster? Such is my dilemma due to me notching up another 40-something birthday this month. May totally flew by and although that means we can add another month to our "wait" it also means I have added another year to my age! Such is life and of course it also means that our child or children are also a month older and it's another month we have missed out on them and their lives. Today is the 29th of May and 1 year ago we moved into this house at Boambee. Gosh another flash, whooosh... one year ago we were trudging up and down the highway from Urunga with car loads full of belongings. I remember thinking at the time, this time next year we will definitely be a family, and this new house will be filled with the sounds of children. OK, so not quite. Now I am thinking this time 2011 our house will be filled with the sounds of children. Damn goalposts keep moving! Lucky I am a sporting and competitive person otherwise I might not keep up!

I went to Filipino play group this month. A wonderful local groups of families with beautiful children adopted from the Philippines. There are a set of triplets, twins and two other little ones and now there is a little boy from ethiopia who has joined in as his parents are about to lodge their application to adopt from PI. YAY, there is now someone behind us in the queue. It's so lovely to know that our child(ren) will one day be playing with these children. I was glad I went, warmed my heart. Oh and the morning tea was pretty impressive! I think the mummy = play group = yummy treats lifestyle appeals to me!

Pray for June and the "call" to come in.

Waiting time 20 months 3 weeks + 3 days

April update

The wait continues, as does the frustration. We keep telling ourselves we are "so close" but judging by Mark's guesstimate he believes we have a few months still!!! Gosh well I am praying for the call before my birthday, which is edging closer so watch this space!!

I am typing this with the new addition to our family sleeping on my lap. Lotti arrived yesterday after a mega flight journey across 3 states. Poor thing was so shattered when we picked her up, she laid eyes on us, not quite sure who these new faces were. But soon warmed to us and has impressed us with her affection already! Mark's comments last night were " she is the cutest dog I have ever seen". Trust me she totally is. She's a Lagotto Romagnolo, Italian Breed, hair rather than fur, hypo-allergenic, non-smelly, non-shedding, medium size, active dog great with children, loves cuddles, submissive to older dogs (Coco) and happy to run and play! Ticked all the boxes for us, and some! So we are bonding, and I feel like a fur mum again. Ruby was such a special dog for me and nothing will replace the 7.5 years we had together. But having another pup in my life helps me in more ways than one! She has brought a timely distraction to us....

Waiting time 19months 3 weeks…

Back track!!

I found some diary notes from 20th December 2006. Which was the date we were approved by DoCs as suitable to adopt from overseas. My jubilation was evident in the yippee opening paragraph. Gosh if i'd known then that in March 2010 we'd still be waiting to be parents perhaps I may have begun the sentence a little less excited!!
In this above mentioned journal I also found some quirky creative writing poem style rhymes i wrote which I should publish into a book for kids one day. I reckon they are pretty good.

So the wait continues...
This month has been extra tough for me, Sat 13th March my darling little Ruby (7 year old Kelpie) was poisoned and died a very horrendous death. We were home to witness her suffering and in some ways I am glad that I was with her til the end, but in others I am left shattered with the visions of her suffering and pain as she took her last breaths. We buried her in the garden where we will plant a beautiful tree in her honour. She was totally my fur baby and my little buddy, followed me everywhere and kept me smiling when times were tough. I will miss her more than anything, and we pray that some good news will come soon to help ease my sadness. RIP Ruby Doo I will always love you x

18 month Milestone

Today marks 18 months ICAB approved, a milestone for us in this epic wait to become parents. To be honest, I never thought that we would have to wait this long, so it is a mixed emotions day. On the plus side, between now and end 2010 we almost certainly will become a family. Mark has threatened to move overseas if we are still waiting come Jan 2011, however, I am convinced we will not have to do that.

Some days I find myself pouring over orphanage websites in PI, there are so many little faces staring back at me and again I am left in bewilderment as to why it takes so long to match these children to families.

Intriguingly, our little one(s) are already treading this globe. They have a first name and a warm bed and they dream of one day, soon, meeting their mummy and daddy. Gosh, we pray for the day when we will unite.

Meanwhile we continue with our house renovations in preparation for 1, 2 or more little munchkins. The plans have come in from the architect to make 2 rooms out of one upstairs (secretly I am very proud of my design skills on that one). Mark's shed plans look very impressive. He can't wait to build his new shed and finish the pool fence around it.

Here's hoping that call comes in by end March. Stay tuned :)

Blog ONE, kick off

A girlfriend suggested I "CRAFT UP" and create something for our child(ren) to help me get through the "wait" during these last weeks, maybe months before we are a family. "Knit something or make a quilt or what is it you do?, you're an artist aren't you? she says. Yeah right I'm thinking, felting is so NOT me. So, being that I am a graphic designer and spend most of my day at the computer I thought hey I know I'll write a BLOG and that way all our friends can read about our "lack of progress" in awaiting for our allocation, and when our little one(s) arrive we will have a journey to share with them.

I also figure it'll be a fantastic way to keep you all posted without having to reply to the same questions over and over! Like the old trusty xmas newsletter which some people used to think was non-personal because it was so general. Well that's progress folks and I'm cheering for the BLOG!

I won't bore you with my daily grind but at least try to update it regularly enough for you all to be kept in the loop. Oh and once we are allocated, it will light up with all the news we have been longing to hear. So bring it on, may we all not have to wait too much longer...

Current wait time 17 months 3weeks.