So, I’ve been coughing for four days. On day #3 my wonderful husband located and purchased the famously horrible Canadian cough syrup, Buckley’s. It’s been at least 6 years since I’ve tasted that putrid concoction. Man, is that creamy white liquid potent. It’s a cross between drinking Pinesol and Vick’s vapor rub. It certainly cleans you out. But sadly, I’m still coughing. Enough about me.
Then new ICBF waitlist for adopted children just came out! It is the Colombian government’s official list of the ages of those kids who went to their forever homes. It does my heart good to see movement and know those 10+ kids will be home for Christmas. However, it is truly sad how long these families have waited. The shortest was 4 months. That’s just a plain fluke. Most were between 40 and 52 months. And that is from the time of their accepted referral. So add on all of their paperwork, homestudy and fingerprint time! Wow! We are at 23 months currently. For the last 5 and 6 year olds that went home, the families waited 12 and 30 months. So we should be sooner, rather than later. Whatever that means. I’m hopeful.
Last night we did the family thing and put up the Christmas tree together while Christmas music serenaded us LOUDLY. I had not been out of the house for three days and was donning my pink fuzzy jammies and wild bed-head, so I made many threats to those who insisted on videotaping the occasion. I know they got me when I wasn’t looking… and they’ll pay for it. Not that I’m into retaliation, but a moms gotta do what a moms gotta do. We put up the slender Jenny Craig tree in the living room with all the blue and silver ornaments, ribbon, lights and beads. It’s quick and easy, doesn’t take up much room and looks festive through the front window.
As I was digging through the ornament box looking for white, blue or silver ornaments, I vaguely remember leaving 60% of the ornaments in the box last year… the red ones… brown ones… green ones. So, I made an official decision, followed by an announcement that we would have two trees this year. A fake, skinny blue and silver Jenny Craig tree in the living room and a real, fresh, full pine tree grown in Oregon with all the other colored ornaments in the family room. My relations were elated. They begged to head off to Home Depot RIGHT NOW! Alas, it was too late. And they don’t have vivid memories of dead pine needles in the shag carpet…. I know the value of waiting until Dec. 19th to buy the real tree! Freshness is where it’s at, baby. Plus Rick and I are going away for 5 days, and who would water the tree???
There is much more decorating to be done. The opened boxes are all over the downstairs staring at me. But I coughed too much and needed a nap. They can wait until tomorrow.
My Sister's Jar 