Oi Minhas Crianças Belas,
First, I want to say that maybe my Portugese isn't great. Don't laugh! I think that's the way you say, Hello My Beautiful Children. In any case, I'm sure you'll teach me Portugese as I teach you English. We'll learn from each other and I'm sure we'll have fun doing it!
Today Grandpa and I finally got fingerprinted. The police officer who did it for us 'donated' his services and so we didn't have to pay. I thought that was so nice. He also wants to meet you when you come to NY. He said he'll take you for a ride in the police car and you can set off the siren! That would be cool! Anyway, you'll see that even though you'll live in a big city people, for the most part, people are very nice here.
I called our agency today to let them know I was fingerprinted and they told me another governmental clearance came back. The woman told me it was the fastest turnaround time she's ever seen. I hope the word 'fast' is a theme in our adoption process because I can't wait to have you in my arms, in my home -learning, playing games, being happy, and being loved, cared for and protected.
A little bit after that phone call my social worker called me to set up an appointment for the home study. It's April 10th at 5:30pm and I'm so excited. I'm asking all my friends and family who are reading my blog to send out prayers and good karma for me at that time. So, after 2 months in one day we got news of a home study date, government clearence and we got fingerprinted! What a difference a day makes, I'll tell ya!
In other news Aunt X is helping me paint my kitchen and is giving me great advice on making my home better for us. She's been absolutely amazing and I think you'll love her very much. She's teaching me a lot about simple home improvements and things like that. Before you know it I'll be a Portugese speaking handywoman! I hope before I know it I'll be your mother too!
Remember to say your prayers tonight and ask God to connect us.
Muito Muito Muito Amor
Mommy
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Sunday, March 23, 2008
The One Who Knows
Oi Bebes,
There's a song by Dar Williams called "The One Who Knows." I always thought of it as a song I would dedicate to my kids. And so, here's to you: Ok, I thought I'd be able to upload the song, but I guess I can't, so here are the words:
Time it was I had a dream
And you're that dream come true.
If I had the world to give
I'd give it all to you.
I'll take you to the mountains,
I will take you to the sea.
I'll show you how this life became a miracle to me.
You'll fly away, but take my hand until that day.
So when they ask how far love goes
When my job's done you'll be the one who knows.
All the things you treasure most
will be the hardest won.
I will watch you struggle long
before the answers come.
But I won't make it harder,
I'll be there to cheer you on.
I'll shine the light that guides you down
The road you're walking on.
You'll fly away, but take my hand until that day.
So when they ask how far love goes
When my job's done you'll be the one who knows.
Before the mountains call to you,
before you leave this home,
Wanna teach your heart to trust
As I will teach my own.
But sometimes I will ask the moon
Where it shined upon you last
And shake my head and laugh and say
It all went by so fast.
You'll fly away, but take my hand until that day.
So when they ask how far love goes
When my job's done you'll be the one who knows.
Muito Amor,
Mommy
There's a song by Dar Williams called "The One Who Knows." I always thought of it as a song I would dedicate to my kids. And so, here's to you: Ok, I thought I'd be able to upload the song, but I guess I can't, so here are the words:
Time it was I had a dream
And you're that dream come true.
If I had the world to give
I'd give it all to you.
I'll take you to the mountains,
I will take you to the sea.
I'll show you how this life became a miracle to me.
You'll fly away, but take my hand until that day.
So when they ask how far love goes
When my job's done you'll be the one who knows.
All the things you treasure most
will be the hardest won.
I will watch you struggle long
before the answers come.
But I won't make it harder,
I'll be there to cheer you on.
I'll shine the light that guides you down
The road you're walking on.
You'll fly away, but take my hand until that day.
So when they ask how far love goes
When my job's done you'll be the one who knows.
Before the mountains call to you,
before you leave this home,
Wanna teach your heart to trust
As I will teach my own.
But sometimes I will ask the moon
Where it shined upon you last
And shake my head and laugh and say
It all went by so fast.
You'll fly away, but take my hand until that day.
So when they ask how far love goes
When my job's done you'll be the one who knows.
Muito Amor,
Mommy
Easter -- Páscoa Feliz!
Oi Bebes,
This was my very first Easter without my mother, your grandmother Rosie. It was very hard and very sad. I miss her soooo much, the way I'm sure you miss your mother. I promise you I though that I will try my best at making you feel comfortable and at home. I promise to give you the very best I can, like my mother and father did for me. Speaking of my father, (your grandfather Pasquale)we toasted today, to next Easter when you'll be here with us. That was the only thought that brightened up my day.
Muito Amor
Mommy
This was my very first Easter without my mother, your grandmother Rosie. It was very hard and very sad. I miss her soooo much, the way I'm sure you miss your mother. I promise you I though that I will try my best at making you feel comfortable and at home. I promise to give you the very best I can, like my mother and father did for me. Speaking of my father, (your grandfather Pasquale)we toasted today, to next Easter when you'll be here with us. That was the only thought that brightened up my day.
Muito Amor
Mommy
Sunday, March 16, 2008
OHHH YEAH!!!
Oi Bebes,
I will no longer use the / in bebe/s because I know they'll be two of you. It's just in the cards and according to my Brazilian friend Sandi (who's adopting from Brazil too!)it's most likely. That thrills me to death because I know you'll feel more secure with your brother or sister at your side. Sandi's sister-in-law works as a lawyer in the Brazilian adoption courts and I'm so pleased to find out that your in good hands while you wait for me. I'm sure though you'll tell me all about your experiences...
Speaking of hands:
My right hand is killing me. Yesterday I had to write pages upon pages of answers about my childhood; what parenting techniques I'll use; about life with my family and my siblings. It was a great and heartwarming experience. I got to talk a lot about you grandma Rosie and the way she and your great grandmother Caterina raised me. I also go to talk about what kind of vacations we'll be taking. One week will be fun and the second week or so will be fun but in another kind of way. Our second vacation week will be spent volunteering our time in an orphanage in Brazil. Like this you'll never forget your heritage and we'll be giving back to society. You'll come to find that I'm big on 'giving back'. Something in my heart tells me that you'll be the same way and that we'll be alike because that's what God intends.
You're grandfather and I are going to get fingerprinted for the first time on Tuesday (this is for the homestudy); later in the process we'll have to get biometric fingerprints for the Department of Homeland security.
A couple of nights ago Grandpa Pat told me that he's excited for your arrival. He can't wait to get to know you both and to love you and share affection with you. I started to cry because you'll come to know that your grandfather is a little bit rough around the edges but he's got a lot of love in his heart. It meant the world to me that he said those words. I know you'll love him, just like his other grandkids do.
Muito Amor
Mommy
I will no longer use the / in bebe/s because I know they'll be two of you. It's just in the cards and according to my Brazilian friend Sandi (who's adopting from Brazil too!)it's most likely. That thrills me to death because I know you'll feel more secure with your brother or sister at your side. Sandi's sister-in-law works as a lawyer in the Brazilian adoption courts and I'm so pleased to find out that your in good hands while you wait for me. I'm sure though you'll tell me all about your experiences...
Speaking of hands:
My right hand is killing me. Yesterday I had to write pages upon pages of answers about my childhood; what parenting techniques I'll use; about life with my family and my siblings. It was a great and heartwarming experience. I got to talk a lot about you grandma Rosie and the way she and your great grandmother Caterina raised me. I also go to talk about what kind of vacations we'll be taking. One week will be fun and the second week or so will be fun but in another kind of way. Our second vacation week will be spent volunteering our time in an orphanage in Brazil. Like this you'll never forget your heritage and we'll be giving back to society. You'll come to find that I'm big on 'giving back'. Something in my heart tells me that you'll be the same way and that we'll be alike because that's what God intends.
You're grandfather and I are going to get fingerprinted for the first time on Tuesday (this is for the homestudy); later in the process we'll have to get biometric fingerprints for the Department of Homeland security.
A couple of nights ago Grandpa Pat told me that he's excited for your arrival. He can't wait to get to know you both and to love you and share affection with you. I started to cry because you'll come to know that your grandfather is a little bit rough around the edges but he's got a lot of love in his heart. It meant the world to me that he said those words. I know you'll love him, just like his other grandkids do.
Muito Amor
Mommy
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Education Update
Oi Bebe/s!
Just a quick update to let you know I have received my certificate of completion for the Hague training that Brazil requires me to have so I could come and get you... and it was no walk in the park either! But you'll be worth it and more I'm sure! Tomorrow I'll complete the rest of the training my agency requires and I'll order my birth certificates, get Gramp's criminal history check notorized and maybe another thing or two if time permits, but since I"m almost done with the paper work for my home study I'll start on the docs for the dossier next week. Then things will fly, I'm sure! And soon, we'll fly...home to NY!
Muito Amor,
Mommy....
Just a quick update to let you know I have received my certificate of completion for the Hague training that Brazil requires me to have so I could come and get you... and it was no walk in the park either! But you'll be worth it and more I'm sure! Tomorrow I'll complete the rest of the training my agency requires and I'll order my birth certificates, get Gramp's criminal history check notorized and maybe another thing or two if time permits, but since I"m almost done with the paper work for my home study I'll start on the docs for the dossier next week. Then things will fly, I'm sure! And soon, we'll fly...home to NY!
Muito Amor,
Mommy....
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
From Your Cousin Austin
Oi Bebe/s
I had to work late tonight so I couldn't go to meet our social worker but I had a great phone conversation with her today and we're going to start next week. I'm super excited. I also spoke to Austin today and he told me this:
Dear Cousins,
I will love you very much and I will be the best cousin I can possibly be. I feel like your mom (my Aunt Patti) will be a great mother. I remember when she took me to the empire state building I had a lot of fun. I didn’t like walking back to the car but maybe you will. I am excited to have new cousins that I could love and take care of. Even though I don’t know you yet I will be happy to meet you and I hope very soon. I want you to know you will be part of a family that will never hurt you.
Love your cousin Austin.
You're really going to enjoy your cousin Austin, he's awesome and loving and caring.
Here's a pic of Austin and I from last summer, when I went to pic him up at summer video game camp in Boston; I remember, all I kep saying was "I'm picking up Austin in Boston! LOL. :
Muito Amor,
Mommy
I had to work late tonight so I couldn't go to meet our social worker but I had a great phone conversation with her today and we're going to start next week. I'm super excited. I also spoke to Austin today and he told me this:
Dear Cousins,
I will love you very much and I will be the best cousin I can possibly be. I feel like your mom (my Aunt Patti) will be a great mother. I remember when she took me to the empire state building I had a lot of fun. I didn’t like walking back to the car but maybe you will. I am excited to have new cousins that I could love and take care of. Even though I don’t know you yet I will be happy to meet you and I hope very soon. I want you to know you will be part of a family that will never hurt you.
Love your cousin Austin.
You're really going to enjoy your cousin Austin, he's awesome and loving and caring.
Here's a pic of Austin and I from last summer, when I went to pic him up at summer video game camp in Boston; I remember, all I kep saying was "I'm picking up Austin in Boston! LOL. :
Muito Amor,
Mommy
Monday, March 3, 2008
March 4th, First Big Day
Oi Bebe/s
Tomorrow is the big day, well, the first big day of which I am sure they'll be many; especially the day I get your referral, the day we meet for the first time, the flight back to NY, the first time you walk into your new home; the first time you meet your grandfather; your new dog; your aunts, uncles and cousins (alright -- I'm going off topic here, lol). Tomorrow is the day I meet my social worker. I hope s/he's cool and laid back, because I am, you'll see. I'm a little nervous but I guess it goes with the territory of becoming a new mother.
In other news I've been doing the required Hague seminars and while I fully understood everything discussed when it came time to take the tests I thought for sure I'd fail. It was so weird. I was completely in panic mode. When they sent the results of the fist test I took I started to cry. I got 100%! This of course doesn't mean that I'm going to never make mistakes with you and that I know it all because I don't. It does mean though, that I'm trying very hard to understand what has happened in your lives and how it's affected you emotionally, physically and developmentally and what I can do to help you heal.
OKAYDOKAY -- When you go to sleep tonight and you think of me close your little eyes and say a prayer. Every night before I go to sleep I ask God to connect us. I ask Him to ease your fears and to keep you safe until I could bring you home. Now it's your turn: ask God to ease my fears and bring us together quick! One thing that I always want you to remember and that I'll say over and over again is that God's got our backs. He will not let anything happen to us that we cannot handle together as a family.
I'll keep you posted! Wish me luck!
Muito Amor,
Mommy
Tomorrow is the big day, well, the first big day of which I am sure they'll be many; especially the day I get your referral, the day we meet for the first time, the flight back to NY, the first time you walk into your new home; the first time you meet your grandfather; your new dog; your aunts, uncles and cousins (alright -- I'm going off topic here, lol). Tomorrow is the day I meet my social worker. I hope s/he's cool and laid back, because I am, you'll see. I'm a little nervous but I guess it goes with the territory of becoming a new mother.
In other news I've been doing the required Hague seminars and while I fully understood everything discussed when it came time to take the tests I thought for sure I'd fail. It was so weird. I was completely in panic mode. When they sent the results of the fist test I took I started to cry. I got 100%! This of course doesn't mean that I'm going to never make mistakes with you and that I know it all because I don't. It does mean though, that I'm trying very hard to understand what has happened in your lives and how it's affected you emotionally, physically and developmentally and what I can do to help you heal.
OKAYDOKAY -- When you go to sleep tonight and you think of me close your little eyes and say a prayer. Every night before I go to sleep I ask God to connect us. I ask Him to ease your fears and to keep you safe until I could bring you home. Now it's your turn: ask God to ease my fears and bring us together quick! One thing that I always want you to remember and that I'll say over and over again is that God's got our backs. He will not let anything happen to us that we cannot handle together as a family.
I'll keep you posted! Wish me luck!
Muito Amor,
Mommy
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