Adoption Talk and Potty (Non-) Training

I didn't get a response or the promised call from our caseworker this week (collective gasp or sigh would be appropriate here, except that we've all come to expect this, haven't we?). I did hear from our home study caseworker, however, who had been told that our dossier would not be registered in Russia this month after all. The St. Petersburg Adoption Committee is relocating offices, thus the delay. It was good to know. We have no doubt that the agency is working on our behalf; however, our caseworker's lack of communication is a real problem. As of today, we have not heard from her in 18 days, and as far as she knows, we still believe we are being registered, but she didn't bother to contact me this week as promised. If we thought she didn't care about our case, we would ask for a new caseworker, but she is very familiar with us and seems to really want to bring our kids home. So we continue to wait for calls that don't come and emails that aren't answered.

In happier news, our home study caseworker is expecting twins soon!!! We haven't seen her since we completed our home study last year...yes, last year, ugh...and were quite surprised by the news. We are so excited for her, as they had struggled with infertility issues and miscarriages too and were about ready to give up on more bio kids. Guess I need to get to work on a couple of quilts! And that leads me to wonder when I will ever get to make a pink quilt. Our friends and family keep having boys! But who am I to talk??? I am the only estrogen producer in this house, at least until K arrives.

Yesterday was an interesting one with Garin. At two and a half, we realize that potty training is looming on the horizon. He loves to go in the bathroom with us and "help" by supervising, unrolling and tearing off toilet paper, flushing and waving bye-bye to whatever we've deposited in there. He is just beginning to understand the process, but he has not showed much interest in sitting there himself. He seems to feel it is just wasting his time to sit anywhere, much less there.

So lately Garin has been removing his diapers at naptime and in the mornings before we come get him from his room. Then suddenly yesterday he took his diaper off five different times and kept running around bare-bottomed. I couldn't keep it on him, so we started thinking it was potty-training time. Big mistake. Garin's idea of potty training is picking something interesting and then aiming at it. He went in corners, on the carpet and even hosed down his bowling pins! Matt and I had a long, hearty laugh over that one!!! We got some pull-ups and are hoping they'll stay on better until he is willing to put a little effort into potty training! Matt trained later and in about a week, so this is quite new to me. And the fact that it's been fourteen years since then doesn't help either! Any suggestions are appreciated; I am acutely aware that it won't be long now.

Matt, Karl and I relaxed last night (after Garin's bedtime) with Haagen-Dazs, Ben & Jerry's and Shrek 3. 'Twas a lovely, relaxing evening! Next week, we'll get the awesome sitter (see previous blog entry) if she's available, and Matt and I are going to spend a day, just the two of us, at the outlet malls and the beach.

It looks like Karl's schedule is about to go crazy. He is scheduled for a mission this week, and this week is also the big inspection for which he's been in charge of preparation since he got home from his deployment last fall. Following the inspection, he'll be due for a new desk job. He has some ideas about what that will be, but nothing is decided yet. We'll let you know when he gets a new title. He's also scheduled for Instructor Pilot training this fall. He was an instructor before but has to requalify since he's flying a different jet now. Also, some have been asking about his promotion. After looking at the monthly promotion increments for his promotion group, we are fairly certain he'll pin on Major in January.

We're headed out in a few minutes to grab a meal out (woohoo!) and go play at the park for awhile. I've been shackled to the stove the last few days, so it will be nice to eat out! ;o) And believe it or not, there are no picnics, no VBS kick-off, no responsibilities this weekend other than family, so we intend to enjoy being together.

My blog friend, Amy, and her hubby are headed to Russia today to meet "Boo" and "Hoo", their third and fourth children (all from Russia). Keep them in your prayers!

Also, my AF friend (the one who is adopting #4 from China right now) has asked for prayer for her father, who is having a triple bypass on Tuesday.

Thanks for being such faithful prayer warriors!!!

Have a great weekend!