Notes to self:

1) DO NOT PREDICT TIMEFRAMES

2) DO NOT PLAN ON SENDING SOMETHING ON A CERTAIN DATE

3) SPEND THE 4 HOURS TO DRIVE YOURSELF OVER TO VIRGINIA AND GET YOUR CERTIFICATES AUTHENTICATED

4) STOP TYPING IN CAPS--PEOPLE MIGHT GET THE WRONG IDEA THAT YOU ARE SOME ANGRY, OUTRAGEOUS RAVER

5) Stop pretending you are not an angry, outrageous raver


Seriously...I am not angry, more emphatic. Every time I seem to set a time frame, it DOES NOT HAPPEN. Sooooo...if I make no more time frames, I will not be disappointed! I checked today--Virginia got my certificates on Monday. The Fed EX return package still must sit in Virginia, as it is not on the track site yet. In essence, when I called them two Thursdays ago and they told me that they were authenticating things that were received 2-3 days prior, I figured that since I had to have a few things done this last week here in Maryland, nothing would be ready until Wednesday/Thursday anyway, and by then, I should have the marriage certs. The sweet little girl in the authentication office said that sounded about right, and if she were me, she'd just send them overnight. Thanks for the tip. If authentication in Virginia is anything like it is in Maryland, it would have taken me four hours and 30 seconds to do--with four hours of that being drive time! I find it hard to believe that my beloved home state could be slower than Maryland, but then again...though Maryland is not necessarily a pro-adoptive state, it sure does get paperwork and fingerprints processed FAST! (Remember, I give credit where credit is due)

I am now not predicting, just hoping and praying that they will head out on Monday and I will get them on Tuesday and by Wednesday (which also happens to be the first day students come back) my dossier will be on its way to sunny CA...ah, the disappointments of a control freak! Don't think I don't realize that it is MY fault I feel disappointment--if I just waited for things to happen as they happen, I wouldn't be disappointed when they didn't happen when I want them to happen.

I will wait. Patiently. In the mean time, I have found www.blurb.com and can't wait to turn the blog into a book for the end of the year (thanks, Maria!) I have also decided to start something--whether it is another blog or not, I am not sure, but in any event and in whatever media, I will be writing letters to Emma every day. Starting tomorrow, as John is upstairs throwing shoes at the floor (his subtle way of telling me it is time to go to sleep!) I think of all the things I wish I knew about my mom--things you just don't even realize you want to know until she's gone and you can't ask--and want to make sure Emma knows them all. I would also like to let her know how very dearly she is loved, thought of and missed--all before she is probably even conceived. For the most part, though, I figured if I did daily letters to her, it would help ease the wait time--because it might be like I'm not waiting for her since I am actually talking to her--in a manner of speaking. Or typing. Whatever...

6) Be thankful I have brilliant ideas to keep me busy, ha ha

7) Be thankful God created me to be so darned humble

8) Be thankful God likes a sense of humor (for real--how else can I justify the rational behind the gas pump drive off? He obviously needed a good laugh that day!)

9) Be thankful that at the end of all this...your sweet little baby girl will be home, with her mommy, daddy and puppies

10) Be okay with ending your notes to self at number nine, and don't force number 10 just so you have a nice, well-rounded number with which to end. It is just superfluous.