I wasn't meant to be a painter

I have been LAZY this summer. Not totally, but I could get done a lot more than I have. I swim most every morning and I walk most every evening. I have also been working with my wii fit. I had been putting off painting my new patio cover because well, I live in South Texas and it's hot. I decided this past week to paint it. I had to prime it first and then paint it. When I decided I was going to do this job, I didn't think it would be so hard and not that bad. How wrong I was. I really bit off more than I could chew. I was doing okay until I got to the one side of my patio that has a really big slope. I adjusted the ladder so that my weight would counterbalance the slope. I didn't take into account shifting my own weight on the ladder as I painted. So as I began to paint, I felt the ladder start to sway and move. I am probably on the 4th rung of a 6 foot ladder and I knew that I needed to get down fast. Interestingly enough instead of total panic, I threw down the roller to the ground, grabbed the patio cover and then realized I needed to shift my weight as I went down the rungs. As soon as I got off the ladder, it flipped over and went down the slope. I knew then that I had some serious angels watching over me saying, "Stupid girl, you are so not a painter!" You would have thought that I had learned my lesson, but I am stubborn. I didn't want to be a total quitter on this project so I attempted again on another part that didn't have much of a slope. It got a little too wobbly for my comfort so I quit. I have called in for a professional to finish the job. At least I got over half of it primed. The good thing is I didn't break anything.

Wii fit can work your butt off!

Yesterday, my wii fit that I ordered from Circuit City online came in. Of course, I ripped that bad boy open and jumped on. I learned I am 50ish in my wii age (I'm really 36!) I also learned my balance stinks. I had a hard time knocking off those soccer balls. I was great at the hula hoop. So great that when I woke up this morning, intending to do my usual morning swim, my body was soooo sore. Holy cow! Who knew a wii fit could make you feel like you did one heck of a workout the day before. Anyways, I'm having fun. I'm working hard on getting my blood pressure back down. Before I started the adoption process, my blood pressure was awesome. As the time ticked by, my blood pressure went up, as did my weight. Interestingly enough though, I've been this heavy before but my blood pressure was always good. So, it really freaked me out towards the end of the year when it really began creeping up into a not so great zone. So, this summer I have vowed to be a better eater and to exercise more, hence the swimming most every morning, walking Hope most evenings and now the wii fit. My blood pressure has gone done a lot. I'm still not where I need to be (I'm off by like less than 3 on both sides). I don't want to have to get on medication because my health has been really good. I need to be healthy for my Grace.

I'm also going to be going to the coast in a couple of weeks. I can't wait. My friend D and I are renting a condo for two nights and kicking back and resting at the beach. YEA! I can already hear the waves calling my name. I love reading some great books and just sipping on ice cold water. Ahhhh, life is good.

My Agency Did get Referrals

So, I was wrong about my agency not getting referrals. We had one log in date of January 23rd. Congratulations to all families who get to see their child's face for the first time this week. How exciting. You know, the funny thing about this wait as it goes along is that it feels so very close, but yet so far. It reminds me of this ride they had in Italy (where I spent several years) that I loved. It was basically the ride that had swings hanging down and it would spin. You would go up and there was a rope or something hanging up high on a pole. If you were the one to be able to reach and grab it, you'd win another ride. I was very successful. It must be my freakishly long arms. I had many free rides. Now, I must have t-rex arms because I'm grasping at a lot of nothing. Actually, I can feel the referral looming right in front of me, I just can't grab it. But, I have to say, this ride is not as fun as my childhood ride. But, I'm one step closer to my child as we who are all waiting are. I know it's bittersweet and the amount of days they matched really sucked for all of us. It makes us feel and think that they aren't getting anywhere anytime soon. It's like they are stuck in quicksand. I'm thinking it will probably be like that for a couple of months with the Olympics looming in the next month. I was looking at my agency's list of LID dates and I was noticing that for a while, until the latter part of March, that it took a long time for the dossiers to be logged in. It was like a month from DTC to LID. Then after that, it speeds up and there is about a week in between DTC to LID. So, maybe this is a bottleneck and after they get through those dates, we might see some real progress. I'm still hoping that my wait will be about 36 months (which puts me next May). I can only hope. Hope springs eternal right? Speaking of Hope (my dog), she got her teeth cleaned and microchipped. Poor thing...her mouth is sore and the anesthesia has messed with her. She's still a little loopy and totally tired. In fact, usually she'd be right next to me as I write this, but she's staying downstairs. I think the stairs are too much right now.

I'm getting ready to go down and watch America's Got Talent. There is a little girl on the show who was adopted from China who is an acrobat/contortionist. I want to check it out. Did anybody catch The Bachelorette last night? Okay, didn't see that one happening! I loved both guys but you know, I didn't love her. Jesse was my favorite (and Jason my 2nd favorite). I wanted her to pick Graham or Jeremy. I thought they would suit her better. She came off as spoiled and high maitenance. She was very pouty and sometimes her crying seemed a bit insincere. She may not be that way, but by the end of the show, I didn't care for her at all. Sorry.

Starting back on the swimming

Since my summer school job got scrapped, I realized that I needed to put myself on a schedule or I would just sit around and wallow and become the staypuff marshmellow woman. So, I have started my swimming in the morning at my subdivision's pool. I am getting up at 7:30, then eating breakfast and swimming around 8ish. I'm only swimming for a shorter time right now because holy cow, it can kick your butt. I'm still trying to work on my eating habits. Yesterday, we had our family 4th of July BBQ because my sister is working on the 4th. I made burgers, hot dogs, beans, and ice cream. It was good. We also went to see Wall-E which was an interesting movie. I liked it but it dragged in some parts. I will be BBQing for my parents on Friday just because. It is supposed to rain again today. It rained yesterday, thank God. We have been SO dry here. My lawn is yellow and crunchy and I haven't had to mow it in a while (which I'm glad but the yellow is yucky).

Hope went to the vet the other day. She got her annual visit and didn't pee when she saw Dr. Lord. She has to go back next Tuesday to get her teeth cleaned and to be microchipped. She's kind of confused about why I am around all of the time now. I think I'm invading her turf and her personal time.

Last but not least, rumor is that CCAA won't be going very far again. I think it would mean that my agency won't be getting any referrals again (unless it's expedited which it was last time). It's very disheartening for those of us waiting. I keep hoping and wishing that it's just the Olympics. I am hoping for a speedup. My paperwork (I171H) expires in July 2009. I really don't want to renew not just because it's ridiculously expensive but because we are still waiting and things haven't changed that much from the original to warrant a whole new round of stuff. I think it outrageous that we have to keep paying again and again. Our government should see that we have been waiting and waiting and waiting. We shouldn't have to pay over and over and over and over. It's like a one time fee. They should be like, "Oh, you are still waiting, okay. Let me just extend it again." Yeah, that'll happen, when pigs fly.