Nothing

Ugh!!! Our Travel Approval didn't come in this week. The CCAA has been off since Tuesday and won't return to work until next Tuesday, so the VERY earliest we would see something would be next Friday. Not likely. So, we probably won't get our TA until the week of the 14th. That is going to make travel May 24th-June 7th tight. I am fine with traveling with little notice, but I'm just worried that all the consulate appointments will be taken and I'll have to wait longer.

I am really struggling with what seems to be the worst luck in the world. When we first committed to Alana the Monday of Thanksgiving, we were told that they wouldn't send us paperwork until they received an e-mail from our social worker approving us to adopt a special needs child. Of course our social worker was on vacation all week, didn't work the following Monday and was in an off site meeting the following Tuesday. Eventually they overnighted the paperwork to us only to find out they'd sent the wrong papers. We get that worked out and get everything ready to send to St. Louis and there is an ice storm. My documents were delayed yet again because there was no way to get our Letter of Intent and dossier to St. Louis. The dossiers that went out when ours was supposed to go out were logged in 12/13/06. Our went out four days later and was logged in 12/30/06. Then we were skipped for our letter of approval. Families with log in dates in late January got their LOA before we did. Now we wait for TA and the CCAA is on vacation. This is just unbelievable at this point. I remember going through the same thing with Collin's adoption. The average was around 6 months for an adoption in Guatemala at that time. Some were taking as little as 4 months -- our took more than 9 months. What I would have given to have that extra time with Collin. What a precious gift that would have been. I feel the same way now. I am keenly aware of every day that I am losing with her. It is even more difficult because she is in an orphanage (granted I think it is a better than average one).

I know that once the adoption is complete the pain I'm feeling right now will go away. That is what happened with Collin and I know it will happen again. I'm just going to have my pity party right now and I'll move on later. That is all for now -- I'm heading back for more chocolate!