Happy New Year!
Just a quick note to say 'Happy New Year' to all! We hope that 2008 is your best year yet and brings you great happiness, prosperity and love.
As we say a fond farewell to 2007 we want to share with you some exciting news. We are hoping that 2008 brings us a little sister for Sasha. Yes, that's right, we're in the process of adopting again!
We had originally thought that Guatemala would be our next adoption country, however, the adoption climate in that country has turned unfavorable for U.S. adoptions at this time. We looked into the Ukraine as well but have decided to go back to Russia. Yes, you read correctly, Russia. I know, I know, we had thought that it would be Sasha's sixteenth birthday before we went back to Russia, however, our good friend Jan helped us find an agency that she worked with and had great results with (see all the beautiful Katy blogs or Katy-belle as I like to call her, which translates in French as Katy the beautiful which she truly is). So .. we are in the process of acquiring our final document that is needed to complete our dossier to receive a referral from Russia.
Today was spent getting a TB test and going to LabCorp to get an infectious diseases test. No, we don't really think that we have anything but this is but one of the 32 documents that are needed to complete our Russian dossier. I know folks always ask about how we can stand to jump through so many hoops many of which seem ridiculous (do you know what oncologists do when you call them to ask if they'll sign off on a form that says you don't have cancer? They typically just hang up.) We look at Sasha and know that it's all worth it. And, I like to think of it as a grown up scavenger hunt. It makes the time go by faster and seem more enjoyable.
We hope that our test results will be back next week so we can have our good friend, Peter, notarize our documents so that we can take the packet downtown to get them apostilled. For those of you unfamiliar with the term 'apostille', it refers to the process that the Secretary of State's office goes through to look up your State notary, verify that they can indeed notarize stuff, and the document that they add which has a gold State seal that indicates that the document has been notarized and is valid. I call this the 'pretty, shiny' piece that the Russian government really likes. I would also tell you that I think they like the 32 documents part too. So .. I think that they like 'pretty, shiny, thick' when looking at adoption paperwork. Perhaps it attests to how badly a family wants to have a child.
In reflection, this has been a very hard year for us. It's hard to think of the loss of our beloved mother, Jan without tearing up. She was an amazing person and will be missed for as long as we live. It's hard to think of Snickers Platt, who died a couple of weeks ago, not burrowing into me at night to 'keep me warm' during the coldest winter as well as the hottest summer nights. It gives me some peace to think that Snickers is cuddled up in Jan's lap watching over us each day. We also saw the passing of my great-grandmother Lucille who was sunshine and light to all that knew her.
It has also been a year of great growth. We've seen Sasha go from someone that rarely spoke and signed a lot to someone that rarely shuts up. He is a chatty Cathy. Who would've thought??? He has made such progress in catching up with his various challenges. He has gone from a sullen, mad little boy to someone that laughs and has fun at every possible opportunity. Even when hes almost burns down the house by putting an oatmeal packet in the microwave and turning it on so that it smells like our house has burned down ... twice .. he's having fun (yes, that happened yesterday).
We saw my grandfather who I hope to be like one day, turn 90. Wow ... he is such as amazing man. Was re-learning calculus at 85 .. we can all learn something from that.
For our anniversary this year, I thought that it would be great to get a GPSr to start geocaching. We have found about 650 caches in 12 States and 2 countries since May.
Nathan and I have been married 8 1/2 years. It seems like only yesterday that we stood in the Rice Chapel and I croaked out my vows (I was deathly ill during the week of our marriage. I could barely speak during the ceremony).
We've spent a lot of time with family this year. We saw Uncle Larry and Aunt Karen twice this year and feel that a lotto ticket purchase might be in order. We were able to see Brent and Deanne a couple of times this year including a weekend with Mom just two weeks before she passed on. Deanne and I enjoy conversing about her tropical plant purchases now that they live in El Salvador. My folks have had a busy year but we've managed to spend some time together including a month for Sasha and I in Texas in November. We continue to be grateful that 'Ice Iowa' lives so close. Sasha loves him so much and he is always a joy to have in our house.
We have remained very active in Boy Scouts and were awarded the District Award of Merit, a distict's highest honor, this year. I was given the President's Award which is given to a select group of people in our Council for outstanding contributions at the Council Level for my efforts in Scoutreach and the membership growth in our District. We attended Powderhorn which is one of the top level trainings for Venturing and Boy Scout leaders. I will be the Powderhorn course director in 2009 for the first Powderhorn course our Council has ever put on and Nathan will be assistant course director for instruction.
Nathan continues to be our District Commissioner and this is one of my last days as our District Membership chair. To me, there is really no greater joy than bringing new families into Boy Scouts but, after three years, it's time for me to move on to a new task. I will be taking over as vice-chair of program which has Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Venturing and Training. I have a great team that I've recruited and we are looking forward to our best year ever.
As I look back on 2007, I know how blessed we are. I get up each morning and run through my list of things I'm grateful for, a task which I encourage everyone to do and I do each morning with Sasha. I am grateful for my family and friends. I'm grateful for my good health. I'm grateful that Blake Christensen lives with me and I'm so grateful to have amazing people in my life like you.
Happy New Year! May 2008 be your best year ever!
Much love, Tamara
As we say a fond farewell to 2007 we want to share with you some exciting news. We are hoping that 2008 brings us a little sister for Sasha. Yes, that's right, we're in the process of adopting again!
We had originally thought that Guatemala would be our next adoption country, however, the adoption climate in that country has turned unfavorable for U.S. adoptions at this time. We looked into the Ukraine as well but have decided to go back to Russia. Yes, you read correctly, Russia. I know, I know, we had thought that it would be Sasha's sixteenth birthday before we went back to Russia, however, our good friend Jan helped us find an agency that she worked with and had great results with (see all the beautiful Katy blogs or Katy-belle as I like to call her, which translates in French as Katy the beautiful which she truly is). So .. we are in the process of acquiring our final document that is needed to complete our dossier to receive a referral from Russia.
Today was spent getting a TB test and going to LabCorp to get an infectious diseases test. No, we don't really think that we have anything but this is but one of the 32 documents that are needed to complete our Russian dossier. I know folks always ask about how we can stand to jump through so many hoops many of which seem ridiculous (do you know what oncologists do when you call them to ask if they'll sign off on a form that says you don't have cancer? They typically just hang up.) We look at Sasha and know that it's all worth it. And, I like to think of it as a grown up scavenger hunt. It makes the time go by faster and seem more enjoyable.
We hope that our test results will be back next week so we can have our good friend, Peter, notarize our documents so that we can take the packet downtown to get them apostilled. For those of you unfamiliar with the term 'apostille', it refers to the process that the Secretary of State's office goes through to look up your State notary, verify that they can indeed notarize stuff, and the document that they add which has a gold State seal that indicates that the document has been notarized and is valid. I call this the 'pretty, shiny' piece that the Russian government really likes. I would also tell you that I think they like the 32 documents part too. So .. I think that they like 'pretty, shiny, thick' when looking at adoption paperwork. Perhaps it attests to how badly a family wants to have a child.
In reflection, this has been a very hard year for us. It's hard to think of the loss of our beloved mother, Jan without tearing up. She was an amazing person and will be missed for as long as we live. It's hard to think of Snickers Platt, who died a couple of weeks ago, not burrowing into me at night to 'keep me warm' during the coldest winter as well as the hottest summer nights. It gives me some peace to think that Snickers is cuddled up in Jan's lap watching over us each day. We also saw the passing of my great-grandmother Lucille who was sunshine and light to all that knew her.
It has also been a year of great growth. We've seen Sasha go from someone that rarely spoke and signed a lot to someone that rarely shuts up. He is a chatty Cathy. Who would've thought??? He has made such progress in catching up with his various challenges. He has gone from a sullen, mad little boy to someone that laughs and has fun at every possible opportunity. Even when hes almost burns down the house by putting an oatmeal packet in the microwave and turning it on so that it smells like our house has burned down ... twice .. he's having fun (yes, that happened yesterday).
We saw my grandfather who I hope to be like one day, turn 90. Wow ... he is such as amazing man. Was re-learning calculus at 85 .. we can all learn something from that.
For our anniversary this year, I thought that it would be great to get a GPSr to start geocaching. We have found about 650 caches in 12 States and 2 countries since May.
Nathan and I have been married 8 1/2 years. It seems like only yesterday that we stood in the Rice Chapel and I croaked out my vows (I was deathly ill during the week of our marriage. I could barely speak during the ceremony).
We've spent a lot of time with family this year. We saw Uncle Larry and Aunt Karen twice this year and feel that a lotto ticket purchase might be in order. We were able to see Brent and Deanne a couple of times this year including a weekend with Mom just two weeks before she passed on. Deanne and I enjoy conversing about her tropical plant purchases now that they live in El Salvador. My folks have had a busy year but we've managed to spend some time together including a month for Sasha and I in Texas in November. We continue to be grateful that 'Ice Iowa' lives so close. Sasha loves him so much and he is always a joy to have in our house.
We have remained very active in Boy Scouts and were awarded the District Award of Merit, a distict's highest honor, this year. I was given the President's Award which is given to a select group of people in our Council for outstanding contributions at the Council Level for my efforts in Scoutreach and the membership growth in our District. We attended Powderhorn which is one of the top level trainings for Venturing and Boy Scout leaders. I will be the Powderhorn course director in 2009 for the first Powderhorn course our Council has ever put on and Nathan will be assistant course director for instruction.
Nathan continues to be our District Commissioner and this is one of my last days as our District Membership chair. To me, there is really no greater joy than bringing new families into Boy Scouts but, after three years, it's time for me to move on to a new task. I will be taking over as vice-chair of program which has Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Venturing and Training. I have a great team that I've recruited and we are looking forward to our best year ever.
As I look back on 2007, I know how blessed we are. I get up each morning and run through my list of things I'm grateful for, a task which I encourage everyone to do and I do each morning with Sasha. I am grateful for my family and friends. I'm grateful for my good health. I'm grateful that Blake Christensen lives with me and I'm so grateful to have amazing people in my life like you.
Happy New Year! May 2008 be your best year ever!
Much love, Tamara
posted by Tamara at 9:23 PM
1 Comments:
And HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU!!
Kathryn will find this easily now from her wetpaint page ...
have a great day!!
vic
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