If Not By Sea then By Run-June '14 Cruise/Oct '14 ToT 10 Miler/Feb '15 PHM PTR

[Tinker326]

We got a letter today saying our application for Charlie's passport was denied due to paperwork submitted not being 'sufficient proof'.

We have limited paperwork and we submitted what we had (adoption forms, US Immigration papers, US Citizenship papers) and they still denied it.

I am 60 days away from a cruise where this passport for her is required to board the ship!!! In addition, they have all my original documents as well.

They want a 'foreign certificate of birth, naming us as her parents..translated'

Um. Hello. She was ADOPTED. And there is no certificate of her birth because she was ABANDONED. Would you like me to produce something out of my a$$ for you? You want China to create something? Please. China didn't even care enough to property take care of her.... ARHGHGH!!!

I overnighted the rest of the documents I Have. All my originals..and only copies with raised seals. Now I worry about those too.

All my documents in the mail.. for immigration, adoption. Makes it really easy to erase our girl off record.

Please send some pixie dust our way it all works out. I am SO stressed and nervous over it.....

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

We got a letter today saying our application for Charlie's passport was denied due to paperwork submitted not being 'sufficient proof'.

We have limited paperwork and we submitted what we had (adoption forms, US Immigration papers, US Citizenship papers) and they still denied it.

I am 60 days away from a cruise where this passport for her is required to board the ship!!! In addition, they have all my original documents as well.

They want a 'foreign certificate of birth, naming us as her parents..translated'

Um. Hello. She was ADOPTED. And there is no certificate of her birth because she was ABANDONED. Would you like me to produce something out of my a$$ for you? You want China to create something? Please. China didn't even care enough to property take care of her.... ARHGHGH!!!

I overnighted the rest of the documents I Have. All my originals..and only copies with raised seals. Now I worry about those too.

All my documents in the mail.. for immigration, adoption. Makes it really easy to erase our girl off record.

Please send some pixie dust our way it all works out. I am SO stressed and nervous over it.....

Omg. That's awful. what do they do in all the other cases like this, they have to have gone through this a million times! How frustrating, I hope when the papers get to them that someone else (with a brain) handles them and everything works out! I would be freaking pissed!

 

[EcbLovesMickey]

We got a letter today saying our application for Charlie's passport was denied due to paperwork submitted not being 'sufficient proof'. We have limited paperwork and we submitted what we had (adoption forms, US Immigration papers, US Citizenship papers) and they still denied it. I am 60 days away from a cruise where this passport for her is required to board the ship!!! In addition, they have all my original documents as well. They want a 'foreign certificate of birth, naming us as her parents..translated' Um. Hello. She was ADOPTED. And there is no certificate of her birth because she was ABANDONED. Would you like me to produce something out of my a$$ for you? You want China to create something? Please. China didn't even care enough to property take care of her.... ARHGHGH!!! I overnighted the rest of the documents I Have. All my originals..and only copies with raised seals. Now I worry about those too. All my documents in the mail.. for immigration, adoption. Makes it really easy to erase our girl off record. Please send some pixie dust our way it all works out. I am SO stressed and nervous over it.....

Ugh that sucks. Do you live close enough to the passport office to walk it through? I had to do that once with a friend's passport who needed it immediately and I lived near Miami.

 

[momabaarjo]

Sending lots of prayers your way...our government agencies are a piece of work! And they think they are entitled to above minimum wage...hello! Idiots...and how do they think she got into the country! I will yell with you...

 

[Tinker326]

We have one in Chicago... but all her paperwork was sent to the Houston office (because that makes sense?!?!).

If we hear back again saying what we sent today isn't good enough, I'll demand they hand it back to Chicago & take a day off (sigh) and go downtown to get it sorted out. I guess......

I posted in my adoption group what other people have encountered and they all said they submitted exactly what we did & had no problems. So we just got some moron agent.......

 

[Tinker326]

So awhile back on a certain PTR board, someone posted a super cute picture of themselves wearing a super cute Mulan hat.

I had never seen one like it before & considering I have a Chinese Princess- I was intrigued. So I inquired about it...

Turns out it was a DisneyStore Outlet item & I didn't have any by me. Bummer.

Then one day, this super awesome someone went back to the Disney Store and bought it for me & mailed it to me...

That super awesome someone is Imbri! And I am so thankful because my Chinese Princess LOVES it!

So much she made me pin it on her tonight & has decided to bring it as her special 'show and tell' item for star of the week next week!

So a million thanks to Imbri. And I will say it.. Dis Friends are the BEST Friends!!!

Here's a few pictures of the hat on the Chinese Princess......







Thankfully these were all taken at an angle that you can't see the complete mess that is my kitchen counter - always. The horizontal filing cabinet that accumulates every piece of paper known to mankind.

Edited: What in the heck is up with photobucket and these gigantic pictures? What am I doing wrong?

 

[Imbri]

Oh my goodness, she's so precious! Heeeeeh!

So glad she loves it! It looks adorable on her!


And I really hope the passport people stop being such dummies! Lots of pixie dust that they put it through with the rest of the paperwork you've sent. I know someone'll get it right.

 

[STLMickeyMom]

I'm so sorry to hear about all the passport stress! That's horrible! Crossing my fingers, saying a prayer, sending good vibes, whatever you need to get the whole thing straightened out and her passport in your hands ASAP!!

And, I agree, dis friends are awesome sauce! Charlie looks adorable with her hat and what a fun thing to take for show and share! I knew I liked that Imbri chick!

P.S. Charlie's smile in the last pic? Melting my heart beautiful!!

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

OMG, that is awesome!!!!!! She is such a freaking doll! I can't help but grin when I see her.

 

[Tinker326]

Oh my goodness, she's so precious! Heeeeeh!

So glad she loves it! It looks adorable on her!


And I really hope the passport people stop being such dummies! Lots of pixie dust that they put it through with the rest of the paperwork you've sent. I know someone'll get it right.

Still stressing about passport. Letting it go till next Wednesday when I will start calling/hounding!

This morning she woke up and asked if she could wear her hat to school.

I'm so sorry to hear about all the passport stress! That's horrible! Crossing my fingers, saying a prayer, sending good vibes, whatever you need to get the whole thing straightened out and her passport in your hands ASAP!!

And, I agree, dis friends are awesome sauce! Charlie looks adorable with her hat and what a fun thing to take for show and share! I knew I liked that Imbri chick!

P.S. Charlie's smile in the last pic? Melting my heart beautiful!!

I know, that Imbri chick is pretty awesome for thinking of us!!!

When she smiles, it is pretty awesome!!! I'm always amazed when I look at her and think of how much she has gone through in her first four years that she has this GREAT ability to just inspire people. It's really amazing. I see it time and time again. The pre-K people stopped me one day and said "thank you so much for bringing her to our school, she brings us such joy every day".

OMG, that is awesome!!!!!! She is such a freaking doll! I can't help but grin when I see her.

I ask her all the time.. are you my cutie baby? She says "No mama, I'm your cutie Charlotte" Then giggles and says "Give me big hugs and big kisses". Love her!

 

[STLMickeyMom]

When she smiles, it is pretty awesome!!! I'm always amazed when I look at her and think of how much she has gone through in her first four years that she has this GREAT ability to just inspire people. It's really amazing. I see it time and time again. The pre-K people stopped me one day and said "thank you so much for bringing her to our school, she brings us such joy every day".

aawww, that brought a little tear to my eye! I love it when the teachers really care about your kid and you can tell. it means so much!

she is an amazing little girl! and what a great spirit and personality to have such a rough start and bring so much joy now.

aaaannnnndddd--don't you think she looks a touch like you? I see it sometimes in pictures. clearly, she was meant to be your child!

 

[Tinker326]

aaaannnnndddd--don't you think she looks a touch like you? I see it sometimes in pictures. clearly, she was meant to be your child!

People say this ALL the time! You are not the first to notice this.........

Actually, and I probably shouldn't even post this, but my mom jokes about this. My dad (divorced from my mom at a very early age) went to China ALL the time for business- especially around the years she was born- and was a bit of a 'ahem' wanderer... (if you get my drift) so my mom always jokes that Charlie probably looks like me because she's probably my half sister!

 

[Tinker326]

This popped up on my FB feed & I found myself hilariously laughing.

This is so me..... I think #5,6 & 7 are my favorite along with #24-31

1. What a beautiful day for a run!
2. This sucks.
3. Well, five miles is only two and half miles each way, which is basically two miles each way, so I’m really only running four miles. That’s not too far.
4. It’s starting to feel far.
5. How long have I been running? A year?
6. SIX MINUTES?!
7. I can barely remember what my life was like before I started this run.
8. OK, concentrate. There are still four-plus miles to go.
9. But who counts the first and last mile? This is pretty much an easy three miler.
10. Oh, ****! A fellow jogger!
11. Should I wave?
12. I’m totally gonna wave.
13. OOOK, they didn’t wave back. Never doing that again.
14. Just keep running, no one saw. Except that old guy who may or may not be averting his eyes.
15. Man, I think I’m hitting that “second wind” thing my gym coach was talking about.
16. Wait, never mind. I’ve been running down a decline.
17. If I leap to avoid dog ****, does that make me a CrossFit athlete?
18. What the heck is CrossFit anyway?
19. Mental reminder: Google CrossFit when I get home.
20. If I ever get home.
21. If I had a heart attack right now, I wonder who would find my body.
22. OMG, I hope I never find a dead body. Joggers always find dead bodies.
23. Bodies. Body. Bod-ay. Runnin’ all day, no one can catch … may.
24. OK, I must be halfway done by now.
25. What?! Only two miles in?
26. Alright, stay focused. What am I going to eat when I get home?
27. I’m running five miles so I should probably eat five slices of pizza.
28. Or I could buy one pizza and ask them to cut it into five slices.
29. I should probably get a side salad too.
30. …
31. F#ck the salad actually.
32. Man, what are these people doing in front of me? Walking?!
33. Is this a contest to see who’s the worst at walking? Because you are both champions in my heart.
34. Maybe if I pound my feet on the ground they’ll hear me coming and let me pass.
35. Oh, God. They didn’t turn around and now I’m right behind them. They’re going to think they’re getting mugged by the world’s sweatiest criminal.
36. You know what? Now seems like a good time to run in the street.
37. * Jumps off curb * Parkour!
38. Hi hi hi please don’t hit me with your car.
39. Pedestrian pedestrianizing over here, let me cross.
40. Thank you, Mr. Blue Honda. I’m trying to smile at you but it probably looks like I’m having a stroke.
41. Actually, I wonder what I look like right now.
42. * Checks out reflection in shop window * Yeesh.
43. Is that what I look like when I run? What am I, a newborn deer with a drinking problem?
44. Whatever, I must be almost done by now.
45. Heck yes. Three miles down, two to go. It’s all downhill from here.
46. Except for that very real uphill in front of me. God damnit.
47. Wait, is that… Is that…
48. A DOG!
49. Hi dog! You are so cute. You are now my mascot. I will finish this run for you, pup.
50. And — hello — what do we have here? Your human is pretty cute too.
51. Hope you like drunk fawns, Cute Human.
52. Watch my bambi a$$ prance up this hill.
53. Holy sh#t, prancing is exhausting. I am exhausted.
54. Honestly, I don’t even like running.
55. Why do I even run?
56. Why does anyone even run?
57. Why are we even alive?
58. OK, let’s not go down that road.
59. Focus. Focus on that sweet, delicious ‘za waiting at the finish line, calling your name with its cheesy breath.
60. Wait, less than one mile to go? I am KILLING this run.
61. I AM THE SWIFTEST GOD OF ALL TWO-LEGGED CREATURES.
62. YES, including ostriches.
63. Honestly, I should sign up for a marathon.
64. What is it, like 30 miles?
65. That’s just 15 miles each way, which is practically 10, and 10 is twice five, and I can run five miles EASY.
66. That’s it, I’m doing it. Thirty miles.
67. Thirty-mile marathon…30-mile marathon…30 Rock marathon.
68. On second thought, I’ll probably just binge-watch every episode of 30 Rock. That takes a lot of dedication and I will be winded from laughing so hard.
69. But I could probably do a marathon IF I wanted.
70. OK, almost home. Should I shower first and order pizza or order pizza and shower before it shows up?
71. Yep, definitely ordering first. I earned that ****.
72. Oh, no. Oh god no. Another runner. Should I wave?
73. No, be strong! Do not get burned again.
74. OMG, SHE waved first! Hello! Yes! We are both runners! Look at us run!
75. I guess running’s not so bad.

I'm totally printing this out and hanging it in my cube!

 

[Chaitali]

Ok, that list was awesome! How did they get into my head when I run And by the way, that hat is super cute.

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

Newborn deer with a drinking problem!!!!!!

OMG, this was ALL me. I think it's so cool that so many runners relate to this...that means I'm not as crazy as I think I am, right???

Oh and the coming up behind walkers and trying to slam my feet down so they hear me! Classic! Happens to me a lot. I usually clear my throat or "sniffle" so they notice me!

 

[Tinker326]

Ok, that list was awesome! How did they get into my head when I run And by the way, that hat is super cute.

Your head? It's my head! Oh wait, it's all us crazy runners head. Except maybe for the ones that actually do run 30 mile races!

Newborn deer with a drinking problem!!!!!!

OMG, this was ALL me. I think it's so cool that so many runners relate to this...that means I'm not as crazy as I think I am, right???

Oh and the coming up behind walkers and trying to slam my feet down so they hear me! Classic! Happens to me a lot. I usually clear my throat or "sniffle" so they notice me!

I am totally jump into the middle of the street to get around the walkers type.

But I laugh so hard.. with the... "Man, I must be halfway through this run.. " Look down & it's been 4 minutes. And suddenly never remembering anything aobut your life except that it's been spent on THIS run.....

I printed this out and posted in my cube. I was laughing so hard!!

 

[momabaarjo]

YOUR CHINESE PRINCESS is so sweet in that hat! Dis friends are the best!

People say this ALL the time! You are not the first to notice this.........

Actually, and I probably shouldn't even post this, but my mom jokes about this. My dad (divorced from my mom at a very early age) went to China ALL the time for business- especially around the years she was born- and was a bit of a 'ahem' wanderer... (if you get my drift) so my mom always jokes that Charlie probably looks like me because she's probably my half sister!

Thank goodness I was not drinking anything when I read this...or my screen would be sprayed! Oh my...that is too funny!

 

[momabaarjo]

That is list is ...I wonder what I actually think about when I am running...I can't recall...I know I have to be thinking. Hmmm...note to self when I run today think about thinking.

 

[Tinker326]

So my mileage was low. My goal was a measly 10 miles & I fell below that...

Monday- 0. Needed to run to GS store at lunch.
Tuesday- 0. Migraine
Thursday- 2.05
Friday- 3.2- start to feel maybe injury?
Sat- Hobbling
Sun- Hobbling.

My goal was hit 3-4 miles today. And I decided to table it.

Here's what's happening.. maybe someone can chime in that it sounds like something they've had...

After running Friday it almost felt like the bottom of my heel became bruised. Every time I put my foot down to walk or run, it hurts- like if I was putting impact on a bruise. It bothered me enough to adjust my gait/walking and so now my whole foot hurts because of that. If looking at it, no discoloration, but it looks a wee-bit swollen....

Any ideas on what this could be from? It still hurts something crazy today.

Anyways... so boo on me.

Fun stuff. I made two ADR's for ToT Weekend. Today was 'opening day'

Friday before Race: Ohana's.

We have not been for dinner since 2008. Here's some pics from that trip....

Awwww...look how little my babies were....







I think Sarah still hasn't forgiven me for putting her in the Tinkerbelle Dress. See how's she trying to eat it in all her pictures. Anything to get it off of her!!

Meat. On A stick. (those are my half-brothers)







My how time changes everything... Both my dad & Step-Mom have died since this picture.. and my brothers got into more trouble than you can imagine.

And my isn't that cheery..............

Okay, MOVING ON....To the other ADR.

Race day- ADR for late lunch at Tepan Edo.

Oooh. Shocker. This is pretty much a requirement for DH. Why, I have NO idea. We have a Benihana at home and eat there at least once a year. So why spent the money here? Whatevs. I'll hear about it if I don't make the ADR- so I made the ADR.

Another walk down Memory lane... Our trip to Tepan Edo in 2010.

Drumsticks.. I mean.. chopsticks!









Hope everyone had a good weekend. Mine was busy- spent Friday night overnighting at Field Museum with a bunch girls, doing lots of spring cleaning, weeding through paperwork, finalizing the tax return & hobbling on my foot!

It's already almost time to start another week. Boo... Why is it always Monday?

 

[STLMickeyMom]

does your foot hurt more in the morning or after you've been sitting for awhile and then is ok after you've moved around a bit? it sounds a little like plantar fasciitis. I had it once and it bothered me for a few months at those times (bottom of my foot was very tender, especially my heel. felt like it was tight and had a deep bruise), but I've heard it can hurt all the time if you don't have the right shoes or good support. the thing that helped me was to get an insert for my shoe, just for the heel area. there's something about having your heel elevated just a touch that seems to help. It took a few months, but I don't have any problems with it now and it's been several years. just a thought...