Me, The Squirrel

We played a small "game" the other day at the office.  It's supposed to help break the ice at the beginning of a meeting.  It goes like this:  You say your name,  what do you do for the company, and then you answer the following question: if I was an animal,  what animal would I be?
Since this isn't the first time I thought about that question it was easy: I would like to be a big feline. They are focused,  determined,  they are elegant and I personally think they are so cool...   :)  ...  anyway...  I think I would be a tiger, a panther or something like that.  Except that I wouldn't be my cat... I love my cat and she fits in the "big" category but she doesn't like my dog... and I love my dog, so that wouldn't work. 

But going back to the animal question.  It never ocurred to me that on the very same week... I would feel like a squirrel.  Tini tiny, not very feroucious, not very elegant and definetely not very scary squirrel. 

Everything started the week before,  with our formal match proposal not geting from Edmonton to Calgary when it should have been.  It normally takes one business day for any courrier package to reach destination,  but somehow the admin assistant at  Alberta Childrens mistakenly send our baby's match proposal through regular mail.  Panther me wanted to attack admin assistant over the phone.  But I guess that's not very polite...

Anyway... it took close to a week for the documents to get to Calgary and on Tuesday we were finally able to set up an appointment at our agency and see all of Sebastian's information. May I just add that he's meeting all his "developmental stages"?   -  I know I sound like a proud mom! ha ha...
Same day we officially signed the match proposal which means that,  to the country of Canada - He's ours!!

Squirrel phase happened on Wednesday and it went like this.  Since everything was going so well and I hadn't received my criminal record check yet,  I decided to try to call the RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) to get a status update.  I was expecting to find the document anyday on the mail  but still I thought I might get to talk to someone there who could tell me if it was already issued.  I called, and one of those very annoying machines answered.  The recorded message said something like:  "our current processing time is in excess of 120 days".  

I went blank. What?!!!!! But we're supposed to close our adoption in less than 2 months!! They don't understand!!! I literally freaked out. I called Tavo, I called my mom, who called our lawyer.  I called the fingerprint service,  I called the RCMP (no answer), I called my friends (moral support)...  I went to the fingerprint service... they tried taking my fingerprints again digitally,  they couldn't,  they said there is nothing else they could do.  I pleaded with the fingerprint guy. 

- But, but,  what do they mean it takes them 3 months to process?
- Sorry ma'm those are their current processing times.
- But you don't understand,  they'll give our Sebastian to someone else if we can't close the adoption!!! 
- There is nothing else I can do.  I can't access your file from here. 
- But, but...  (blank face). 

That was panther me almost crying.   I spend all day thinking,  who could I call, what can I do?
Some of my friends at the office were even calling around to find out if anybody knew an RCMP officer that might be able to help.  Nothing. 

And then a coworker send me this video.  And I felt like the squirrel.  The Mission Imposible Squirrel.  Only that the nuts is Sebastian... and I'm supposed to get to him by going around the obstacles. 
Turn the volume up and enjoy:

So there you go.  That was me... not a panther, just a squirrel. 

Tavo picked me up later that day and I was exausted from the stress.  We got home and I opened the mailbox to pick up the usual staff: bills.  And that's when I found an envelope from the RCMP with my name on it.  Believe it or not I had gotten my criminal record check !!!  I am not kidding!

And the squirrel gets the nuts!!! (or almost!)

Mental note:  Keep believing that everything will be ok and that Sebastian is truly meant to be ours. 

Until next post,

Luz M. 

Sebastian's 1000 Smashing Outfits & some other things

As all of you imagine, the last two weeks have been pretty intense... to say the least.  We celebrated the new year and a few days latter both got back to work.  Or at least I came back to try to work. And seriously... I've done my best to concentrate and be a good, responsible, professional, but it's been tough. My head is in Colombia and without my head... it's kinda of hard to get anything done. However,  I've managed... even when I've had to put in some weekend time. 

So the first week of the year after we "met" our little guy, we landed on a name.  Sebastian.  It didn't really take us long since we've been talking about it for over a year. The main criteria for selecting the name was that it would sound nice in Spanish and English.   Besides... he really does look like a Sebastian.  So cute!  Nickname: Sebas.  - Which is what everybody in the family is calling him already.  

Then,  with grandma Martha's help, we landed a lawyer in Colombia.  I called her to introduce myself and got some bad news.  Our police clearance documents need to be re-done because they're over 6 months old.  We wouldn't mind the re-doing situation if it didn't take four (FOUR!!) weeks to get done.  So right away, we had to get our fingerprints taken.  I kinda of "bribed" the lady at the fingerprint's office with a picture of Sebastian,  so that they would send the fingerprints to Ottawa the very same day.  I think it worked,  so hopefully we'll get the clearances in the mail the last week of January.  We will still need to notarize,  legalize and send to Toronto for stamping.  Arrrggg!!!

In the mean time, our translator finished the formal Match Proposal which was send from the ICBF (Colombian Authorities) to Alberta Children Services.  The Fedex is in Edmonton now and the documents are supposed to be revised, approved and send to our Agency here in Calgary, this upcoming week. That's when they'll call us.  That's when we will have to formally sign the acceptance of the proposal (very corporate uh?). Then, the Alberta Government will create some other letters, all of which will have to send to Colombia, properly translated,  and only THEN... we'll be able to fix the appointment to officially meet Sebastian.  Hopefully we'll get the clearances just in time.

I know we'll get there... but the process is so freak'n loooooong!! Imagine knowing this little guy is waiting for you and being stuck in the bureaucracy of it all. I know, I know... this needs to be done so that kids get placed in good homes but that  doesn't make it any easier.  Lucky me, my friend Alex got the proposal some days earlier than us and now she's the one teaching us what needs to be done.

Anyway... so with that done, Tavo and I decided it was time for shopping! But before I talk about shopping I must publicly say that people around us have been beyond awesome.  And I don't only mean friends, but colleagues, ex-colleagues and pretty much everybody.  Everybody is so happy for us, so willing to help it's incredible.  We've gotten a bunch of toys, clothes and much needed advise.   It's really overwhelming.  So thank you all!.

But going back to the shopping, I must say I predict our little guy is going to be a total chick magnet.  1. He has the cutest smile ever.  2. He also has the coolest ride in town (which took his daddy about 2 hours to put together... and I'm not laughing.  - ok who am I kidding... I am, I so am!) ha ha...  and 3. He possesses about 1000 smashing outfits.

So here's the deal: If I can't smooch him, and kiss him, and hug him... I've decided at least I get to buy him clothes.  That, plus the fact that my friend Shelby (who has gorgeous twins - boy and girl) gave me a bunch of clothes from Lukas, equals... the best wardrobe in the house.

So here's daddy deciphering the encrypted language of the stroller instructions (7:30 pm):  - tic tac tic tac tic tac...

8:15 pm - Ok... look for the red hook... the red hook... where is the red hook??? !!  - See Duna's face. She's already bored. 

8:40 Tires, check; Transmission, check. And the last little accessory just in case it rains... 

 

9: 15 - Sebastian's Lamborgini  ready for its first ride.  Ahhh daddy's smile.  Mission accomplished.  

And then he said: Don't put this in your blog.   :)  -  You would think he knows me better by now.   
We won't tell him.

And here is Sebastian's room now that the toys took over: 

His closet:

More outfits: 

Even our sea friends got a taste of the fashion...

Until next post, 

Luz M

A Happy New Year with a New Love in my Life

January 3, 2011

Dear Tavo:  

I write today because I feel I need to be honest with you. It's been 7 years since we got married and you've been nothing but a good husband.  However, since late 2010 (December 28 to be exact), everything changed.  You see, there is a new man in my life. 

I know... I know, it's hard to understand how things change so fast, specially because we haven't even met,  but I saw his picture and I know that he has been waiting for me... just as I've been waiting for him. There is nothing I can do about that.  

Since I saw his face the other day, he's been on my mind all the time.  Right before I go to sleep I pray for him and I imagine the day we'll meet.  Just like for any important occasion I think about what I will wear and how I'll do my hair.  I secretly hope our love will grow stronger once we meet and that he won't feel too nervous with my new presence in his life. I also wake up thinking about him every morning and I count the days for us to be together.

Also, you must know that I've been spending our money buying him things.  I know!!! It's terrible!!! My two latest purchases were a very expensive chair so he'll ride comfortably in the car, and a set of extra wheels for when we go to the park together.  This latest one even has a special winter "sac" for cold days.  After all, we do live in Canada. 

All of our friends and family know about this inexplicable love, yes!, even your mom.  And everyone is happy!  This is why I needed to tell you today.  It will never be about you and me again, but about the three of us... the new man will sleep in your bed,  wake you up at nigh, eat your food,  take control of the TV (making you watch Tree House over and over again),  ride in your car, drool on your table and hit your finances.

I hope you'll find it in your heart to forgive me for sharing my affection with another man.  I actually know you will...  ha ha...  

Love 

Luz

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!
 The table was set ....

There was magic in the air...

There was food...

There were friends...

It was just perfect!

Hoping for a 2011 full of new & wonderful surprises.  Next year there will be three of us!!
 (Two more for the party because our  friend's Alex and Carlos baby girl will also be there!)

Geez Alex... you'll need a bigger table!

Until the next post.

Luz M.