Cheezer and Louzer

We’re moving the adoption talk to this new site:

http://caesarandlouie.blogspot.com

Check it out. This site is MINE now and so will only consist of beer stories, jokes and other guy stuff from here on out.

OK, I’ve finally figured out how to upload pix to…somewhere…where? I don’t know because they aren’t showing up on the site. Peter may have to deal with this soon. Of course, the pictures were just of the pugs, but still!
Too much to do, & not enough desire/time/energy to do it all.
Exciting stuff coming, though! I signed up through my “JanuaryDTC” group to join a Secret Pal Swap each month. Names/addresses are exchanged, & you anonymously send small gifts to another person. Each month is a different theme – May is a Mother’s Day theme, so I’ll shop & find a small gift for my Mom-to-be Pal. This helps pass the time until the January DTC’ers start getting referrals.

Timelines can change quite quickly! Our agency is telling us (as of April ‘06), that the wait time for a referral is now from 10-14 months. Based on what the CCAA has just posted on it’s website, matches made to which LID’s, the wait might be closer to 11 months. Yea! That’s good news to me. The CCAA matches available children in a “first-in-first-out” method, with a few exceptions. If you’re of Chinese ancestry, you’re assigned a child sooner, or if you choose a “special needs” kid.
Of course, the entire county is shutting down this week for “Golden Week” – a labor day celebration for the government. So, the estimated wait times can change from week to week. As far as planning goes, I’m going to use January as a cutoff for completing necessary baby stuff. Keep in mind we still have to wait 5-8 weeks after referral for permission to travel. It’s hard. Some days I remain quite positive, & others I’m virtually inconsolable.
Keep your fingers crossed that we get a referral before Feb/March of ‘07, so our I-171H doesn’t expire. (That’s the offical name of the document that BCSIS gives permission to bring a foreign-born orphan into the county).
If it expires before we travel, it’ll be a pain in the rear to re-file, re-pay all the fees, and get clearance & re-fingerprinted. We will definately have to get refingerprinted anyway. Those fingerprints (clearance through the FBI). I think those will only cost around $100 to re-do. Of course, it’ll all be worth it in the end.

For those of you who don’t know, Caesar & Louie, (our esteemed Pugs), have a “sleezy” lawyer.
He shall remain nameless due to the slime-factor (not of all lawyers, just this particular one). A little background for you all…
Pugs are unique creatures. They possess the uncanny ability to both annoy the hell out of you as well as be permanently endearing. To call them “dogs” is really rather insulting.
They expect & demand the high life. To this end, Caesar & Louie are constantly insulted by the “lack” of the finer things in life. These include: all-day “rubbies” (petting/scratching, brushing), food on demand – preferably real meat, fish, and the occasional carrot. Oh, and ice cream is great too! I could go on-and-on.. As it turns out, them being outside is NOT a nice place, either. They prefer being near a human at all times, especially when food is involved. (Pugs are notorious for their tendancy to get rotund). Oh, and did I mention they shed BUCKETS!!! I spend a good $30 a month on a non-shedding food additive. But, I digress…
At one point, the pugs decided my DH, Peter & I were not slaving enough to keep them in the finest style, so they hired a sleezy lawyer to keep us in line. Their demands are/were unreasonable, and, frankly, insulting. (I’ll try & post a few more telling pix as soon as my DH can tell me how). Before we had a baby, we would let our pug, Caesar sleep on our bed. He would sleep stretched out between us, steal our pillow, our blankets, and kick me in the head until I woke up – freezing at the bottom of the bed w/no pillow or blanket! No kidding! (Gee, no wonder we had trouble conceiving…) AND, did I mention pugs snore – loudly?
Well, of course, this nonsense stopped once I got pregnant, and Caesar was rudely bumped to the floor. I believe this is when he called the lawyer for what he considered poor treatment.

Here is a sample of some back-in-forth emails from us to pug-lawyer and his “intermediary” regarding our Home Study interviews with the family. Our Home Study was finished & delivered the day before we left for a week in Hawaii…timing is everything.

From: intermediary@aol.com
To: Kim
Kim,
It appears that the pug lawyer has caught wind of the adoption. Were the pugs near the computer or laptop?

—–Original Message—–
From: Sleezy Lawyer
To: intermediary@aol.com
China has been openly friendly with oppressive regime in North Korea over the
past 50 years and frequently refuse to get involved in a what they deem internal
affiars. It is sad to learn that they have overlooked the human/pug rights
violations in their application process. I am concerned anytime the infamous
slum lords can expand the oppressive net over more people.

—–Original Message—–
From: lawyerintermediary@aol.com
To: Sleezy Lawyer
Sleezy,
Kim and Peter are adopting a little girl from China. Is there a reson why the
pugs were not mentioned?

—–Original Message—–
From: Kim
To: intermediary@aol.com
Yeah, apparently the Chinese govt isn’t as picky as it purports to be. You’d
think the pugs would’ve been interviewed, but maybe someone has silenced
them….I noticed our social worker doesn’t have any mention of them in our
study.
Of course the home study would come at the same time as Hawaii. I’m trying to
check w/Peter now to see if he’s going to bring his laptop. I’ll try and use
that to finish if needed.

Kim

—–Original Message—–
From: intermediary@aol.com
To: Kim
They are still considering you for the adoption? I guess they haven’t talked to
you past chinese adoptee’s lawyer. I am glad your dead beat friends finally
finshed their letters although the home study would have come the week of your
big vaction regardless.