Review room updates and misc stuff

In a yahoo group adoption list I am on it was reported that some folks with an early May LID, from outside the US and Canada,have been asked some immigration type questions from the CCAA(they were expecting it due to some moving or something they did), so further proof more May files are being looked at. That is encouraging. The other reports I have seen have had them asking for not too threatening stuff, lessening the worry of many that the new medical/ finacial/ social regs they enacted for files logged in from May 2007 on are being applied to current files in the system.

Hopefully we will see some updates on the CCAA site for the review room as it has seemed like ages since that date has moved.

Fathers Day Part 2

PUP TENT-PUP NOT INCLUDED

No, we didn't go camping on Father's Day. In fact, neither of us likes camping in tents. I want 4 solid walls around me. We both love nature, but want a bit of protection from some of the meaner or less comfortable aspects it brings to life :) .

Sunday afternoon Cara and I are sitting in the back yard in the gazebo enjoying the nice weather, there is a light breeze, that helps keep the mosquitos down, and we see it is a nice wind to dry out the neighbors pup tent.

Then, out of no where there is an INCREDIBLE burst of wind, it felt like it was trying to lift the gazebo off the concrete block pad it was on. Papers started swirling around in the yards, and it grabs this pup tent, whips it around and up in the air, AND it starts to fill it up, like a balloon.

You guessed it, one pup tent balloon floating up, up and away!



Any one remember the cartoon Underdog? Could HE rescue the PUP tent? I used to watch the cartoon all the time :)




Okay back to the story...

So I tear off in my sandals after this thing, it just kept getting higher and blowing further away. Cara went to try to alert the neighbor about it.

I tracked that thing like 10-12 blocks, people were thinking maybe there was a UFO sighting seeing this odd thing in the air..then asking me, "Is it your tent?"

"Nope, just trying to save it for my neighbor."

I really wanted to rip off my shirt, pull out my blue cape, and fly up and get it...but wisely, I refrained, one must keep a secret identity!

At this point we are at the far edge of the city and open fields with new construction, and there is a huge excavated pit, like 12 feet deep,and several hundred feet wide and long. The wind died down and it started to descend into the pit. Undaunted I jumped in to try to get it, only to discover, the pit was muddy

The suction from the mud yanked both my sandals off my feet, I quickly pulled them free and ran, bare foot, tender tootsies and all to the tent. About 35 feet from getting it the wind gusted again, filled it up, and carried it out of the pit.

At this point the neighbor actually was in visual range to see what was happening,but alas he had no super powers and was useless.

Here is some info you need to know, I am around 5 foot 6 and a bit...go back and read how deep I said the pit was....I'll wait...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.


Yup, pit is 12 feet deep...How to get out... with a crowd now gathered, watching the adventure, it was impossible for me to engage my super powers and leap out of the pit.

Relying on my smarts I found a way out(it was muddy solution, but it convinced the people I looked normal enough, so my secret identity remained secure and I continued in pursuit of the pup tent!)

It finally came down and I was able to retrieve it. The neighbor caught up to me at that point and we walked out of the field, past the pit, back into the subdivision to his car where he drove me home. Mission accomplished!

Fathers Day Part 1

Saturday night we wanted to unwind and watch a movie. I had bought "I am Sam" a month or so ago, so we popped it in. As soon as it started I realized, "UGH,this was a good choice so soon to Fathers Day!" Let me unpack that statement a bit. The movie is fantastic, amazing acting by Sean Penn and the little girl(name escapes me and I don't feel like Googling for her info right now). He is disabled, gets a girl pregnant and she leaves him and the baby, then when his daughter is still a young child she is taken away from him,and he fights to get her back. I was really proud of myself, I only let one tear flow, it was a doozy, but only one. Could have cried through half of it easily.An emotional movie close to what can be an emotional holiday.

I see myself as an expectant Father, but I didn't want any big focus on me on this day, for this year(you better bet I expect a huge event the first time it rolls around when I have Julia in my arms). Part of it, is it is hard to deal with the reality I am close to being a Father, but it still not be a tangible reality at this point, so I didn't want to embrace this day. It would spoil it for me, I think, because I will feel like celebrating it when I can actually, physically, do the role of Father, and until then I just want to hold that "holiday event" off until it can be reality. It is kinda like anticipating the presents under the tree for Christmas, but then opening them up early December, then come the 25th,it is a let down...

So those are some belated thoughts, but present feelings on this day. Things have been so insane at work that I have simply been too overwhelmed to focus on putting this stuff down. So on my day off(finally) I can do that :).

Adventures in Childproofing part 1

Cara has decided to help a friend out by babysitting their 18 month old boy a couple days out of the week. So this has prompted us to child proof the house earlier than we had expected.

So, instalation of baby gate at top of stairs, no problems there, and it actually seems to work, a miracle, from someone who makes Tim the Tool Man Taylor look like a genius...

Then I got down on my knees and crawled around the house to see what it looked like from that perspective. I put protector plugs in the elctrical sockets, I moved hanging cords, moved the cactus collection up higher, and we made decisions about what drawers we will lock and which we will keep unlocked, we put the door knob protectors on the bathroom and our bedroom. We were set...or so I thought.

First day with the little guy, he is behaving great, then early afternoon I get a frantic call from Cara..." He has locked himself in our bedroom, where is the key..."

Randy:That door knob has a lock on it????
Cara: Where is the key?!
Randy:That door knob has a lock on it????
Cara:(says something I would get in trouble for writing).... JOKING!

As a side note, she had the car so I am unable to get home.

Cara: How do I get the door open?
Randy: Is the bedroom window open, you could use the ladder and get in that way...
Cara: Of course the window isn't open, you hate having light in there so it is boarded up tighter than Fort Knox!!!
Randy: How come this is suddenly my fault?
Cara:(says something I would get in trouble for writing).... JOKING!

*Okay the last 2 lines were never said, some creative license please :)

Cara: It is pitch black in there, the plugs are exposed, the humidifier is at his level...ARRRRHHHH he just turned the radio on... I hear diaper rubbing...ee is dancing in there!!!

I then seek to instruct her how to pop the edging off the door frame and slide a knife in and pop the knob so the door will open.

Cara: I can't get it...
Randy:I can't get there, you have the car...
Cara: (says something I would get in trouble for writing).... JOKING!

While I am trying to find a ride from work, a friend pops by the house and they get the door open.

The little guy is happy as can be.
The wife is as relieved as can be.
This blogger has as fun story to tell.