We heard from Mary again Friday with more details about what has been going on. We'd been afraid of some setbacks earlier in the week, but those have been worked out, and everyone is hoping that by the middle of next week, we'll know when the appeal will be. I'm not sure if having an actual date to look forward to is going to make all of this easier or harder. Oh well. It is what it is, and my goal these days is to do my best to live in the moment by not dwelling on the past or worrying about the future. I realize it sounds like a cliche; it's true even so. It's how I'm keeping my head above water lately. I'm not always successful--in fact about half the time, I'm not, tending to blog mainly on the up-days. Believe me, you don't want me to post on my down-days.
Both yesterday and today have been up, so far at least. It helped hearing from Gladney yesterday. Every time we hear from them, we become even more thankful for this agency. Just last night a friend was asking us about Gladney and how remarkable it is that we have no complaints about them, when so many adoptive families have at least one or two gripes with their agency. We feel blessed to have them on our side.
I was tagged again this week, so here goes:
8 things I'm passionate about:
1. My dislike of the movie Love, Actually. I'm sorry for anyone this offends. It's a bafflingly popular movie that I happen to loathe.
2. Anything at all related to New York City, especially the Ric Burns documentary and this blog.
3. Finding interesting things at thrift stores.
4. Authenticity, especially among people who share my faith.
5. Manners, which is just kindness and respect to others.
6. Kindness to animals.
7. Laundry, excluding ironing.
8. Fresh food and good service in restaurants.
8 things I want to do before I die (not all realistic):
1. Perfect a dark roux for gumbo.
2. Get paid to be a restaurant critic.
3. Not suck at karaoke.
4. Complete a marathon, even if it's just a 5K.
5. Go for a hike while carrying my baby in a sling.
6. Shout "Sanctuary!" while banging on the doors of an old church as the bad guys quickly approach.
7. Live at least a few months in NYC.
8. Earn at least $1 from some form of art I created.
8 things I say often:
1. Dadgummit.
2. You wanna watch some TEE-vee?
3. Whatcha doin' Buddy-Wuddy?
4. Ooh, honey, what's that smell?
5. Just a Ruby ale and some tots.
6. Sorry.
7. Scheisse.
8. What the heck?.
8 TV shows I recently watched:
1. The Biggest Loser.
2. Seinfeld.
3. Sex and the City.
4. Dateline.
5. Curb Your Enthusiasm.
6. Moment of Truth (It's awful, I know. I only watched it because Ted plays basketball with host).
7. Friends.
8. Saturday Night Live.
8 Songs I never tire of listening to:
1. "Heaven's My Home"--the Duhks.
2. "Dreams"--The Cranberries.
3. "Home"--Rich Mullins.
4. "This Year"--The Mountain Goats (thanks, Neola!)
5. "Feel"--Robbie Williams.
6. "Seven Nation Army"--The White Stripes.
7. "So Much Beauty in Dirt"--Modest Mouse.
8. "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters"--Elton John
8 things that attract me to my friends:
please excuse the faulty parallelism in the following list
1. Sense of humor.
2. Honesty.
3. Snarkiness.
4. Dependability.
5. Equally as opinionated as I am.
6. Nonjudgmental (this quality actually does not have to stand in opposition to #5).
7. Empathy.
8. Also loathes Love, Actually (I kid, I kid...in fact, I've yet to find this person, so it's probably a pipe dream anyway).
8 Things I learned in 2007:
1. Be organized when it comes to adoption paperwork.
2. Getting impatient and angsty does nothing to speed anything up.
3. Sometimes, it helps to scream really loudly; then you can immediately go back to being patient.
4. Don't drag an old man around Irish country back-roads in a cramped little car without frequent stops. Better yet, don't drag an old man around Irish country back-roads period.
5. Skype is the best way to make long-distance phone calls.
6. Stay away from goats; they give me the willies.
7. If you meet someone famous who you admire and she's nice to you, have the gumption to ask her if she wants to have some coffee because the chances are, she'll say 'yes'.
8. It's possible to fall in love with a photograph.
8 people I "tag": The Spells, Jana, Courtney Rose, Stacie, Carey, Meredith, Susan, Neola.
I'll leave you with my favorite scene from the movie we watched last night. I'm so happy someone put this on youtube. It makes my stomach hurt and my face cry it's so beautiful. Enjoy.
20 comments:
Go ahead and blog on the bad days- you might feel better, and we'll still love you.
If you draw a stick figure on a piece of paper, I will pay a $1.00 for it..hey that is what friends are for:-) I am glad to hear that you heard more from Gladney yesterday. I am also glad that you didn't tag me...I have the hardest time with these things!!
I love Amelie! And Dreams by the Cranberries! And Thriftstores! And Portland, Oregon.
You rock!
Lori,
You make me laugh and make me teary all at the same time. I love your writing so much!!! You continue to amaze me through your up and downs :)
I love your comment about living in the moment. Your different list really do show just how you do "live in the moment". We can spend so much of our lives worrying that we miss so much of the beauty around us. Thanks for reminding me of that. :)
Amy
I've heard many good things about Gladney. Having a good agency makes this journey much more bearable.
For the record, my wife and I hate Love, Actually too. And I usually like quirky, plotless movies. That one was so bad, though. I shiver when I think about that horrible Christmas song, too.
Oh so sorry - I love Love Actually - but I'm a sucker for stupid movies, so that explains that. I also love Amelie, if that helps at all.
I'm glad you got some news - every bit of information helps, I'm sure.
(I'm going to tag Jocelyn after I'm finished b/c now I know she hates being tagged. :)
Lori, Actually, you're not alone as I have zero fondness for "Love, Actually!" as well. I remember, years ago, Ted and I feeling the same way about "Terms of Endearment" - couldn't get past the emotional manipulation and unbelievability.
Jim R
Lori: Sorry, guess we cannot be friends anymore. ;(
I am a member of the Love Actually fan club. My favorite part is actually the end scene where everyone is greeting people at the airport. I did a lot of my life saying hellos and goodbyes like that as a kid, so I guess I relate to it and I cry like crazy...
Hope your good days outweigh the bad and that even on the bad you can be kind to yourself.
Pattie
Hi Lori, Can you zip me off your email address please? Prayin' for you dear girl as you keep waiting. Blessings, Shelly
robertsfamily@mlgc.com
Pattie: Of course, we're still friends :) I promise not to hold it against you.
And Stacie: that's awesome that you're tagging Jocelyn now. The only reason I didn't was thinking about how busy she is these days, but I love your reasoning for tagging her now: hello, little Miss Snarky! :) Oh, and as long as you admit L,A is stupid, ok: it's when people go on and on about how *good* it is that baffles me (everyone needs some "guilty pleasures" movies, right?.
I so did NOT enjoy Love Actually.. at the end.. ok through the entire thing. I just sat there, staring at the screen.. thinking.. HUH? Like when a poochie tilts his head sideways and just looks at you.. Totally confused lol
Continued Prayes for you, Ted & Little Abe!!
Mollie
Thanks for the Amelie fix.
I was honestly kind of really offended by some stuff in Love, Actually. I don't feel like I'm that sensitive to movies in that way, but I was with that one. Also, I echo the above commenter that I really don't like feeling emotionally manipulated in movies, and I think L.A. does that.
Praying.
Thinking of you and praying for good news.
I will succumb to the tagging if you promise to meet me at the Kennedy School (got some time this week maybe??) for tots and Ruby Ale! :)
p.s. I'll bring some dvds with me!
I adore Amelie and it's probably been a year since I've seen it but I have replayed that scene over and over in my head, thanks for sharing it, it gives me chills.
I adore Amelie and it's probably been a year since I've seen it but I have replayed that scene over and over in my head, thanks for sharing it, it gives me chills.
I am cracking up that everyone is weighing in on Love Actually! Hilarious - I never knew a stupid (yes- admittedly) movie would inspire such discourse. (I had to come back to copy my tag stuff and saw all the comments! :)
Oh - and I was just thinking I shouldn't tag Jocelyn b/c she is busy... hmm... should I be nice like you?
CEE-ment.
Michael calls it CEE-ment. As in, "I grew up near a big CEE-ment factory."
Hey you- you didn't make me feel pressured. Please, oh please (italics here), don't apologize for something you didn't do. Capeesh? The pressure was solely mine- and after a long day, I decided I just didn't have it in me. I'm thinking on a more creative day I might just surprise you and have it all filled out. With a bow wrapped around it.
xoxo
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