Things to do before 21 December 2012..

Found this entry over on Stirrip Queens blog which I enjoyed very much and decided to add my own list of things that I would like to do before the world supposedly comes to an end on 21 December 2012.

1) Have a baby - seeing that there is less than 3 weeks left this might be no small feat, but who knows?

2) Fit into the stack of #10 pants that I refuse to throw out of my cupboard. (Compared to this #1 seems more probable to happen within the next 17 days)!

3) Live one full day without worrying about anything.

4) Spend time with my mom, family and friends - all the people that I miss on a daily basis and never get around to see as much as I would like to.

5) Win the Lotto, and then give the money away to people and animals who really need it.

6) Get a kitten - we have a cat and a dog and decided not to add to that. I am a total cat person and there is nothing more enjoyable that having a little kitten (or 2) around.

7) Go horseback-riding on the beach.

8) Laugh like I mean it - until the tears stream down my face and there is no air left in my lungs.

9) See the big migration of wildebeest and zebra from a helicopter (not sure whether this is the right time, but maybe they'll make an exception).

10) Fall in love with my husband all over again (taking into consideration that this is our second week apart and I'll be seeing him again the weekend, this might be very likely indeed...)!

Congratulations to a true adoption champion!

A very well done to Sharon van Wyk for her nomination for a Feather Award in the category of Community Builder and Humanitarian for her work with Trinity Heart!
She really makes a difference in the lives of  those starting on, or going through this wonderful (but sometimes frightening) journey of adoption. 
Read about my experience on finding Trinity Heart here.

Day 300

We have arrived at day 300 - waiting for the telephone to ring and the voice on the other end telling us that we are parents.
It seems like such a long time, but looking back it has really gone past in the blink of an eye. Yes, there were days that were endless and I were impatiently counting the minutes that passed, but most days were ok. At least we got this far, which means that we are 300 days nearer to receiving our precious gift.

Talking About Adoption to Kids

Talking About Adoption to Kids

Help spoil the Kanga moms

Here is a great idea by Adopted Heart on how to give back to the special woman who act as Kanga moms for our babies:

Click here to Play

International Adoption Program in South Africa

Spence-Chapin have successfully opened an adoption program in South Africa, open to single parents and couples. Lets hope that many children will now find permanency with families through this program.

Have a look at the full article here: http://adoptionnews.spence-chapin.org/news_and_events/south-africa-adoption/ 

And then reality kicks me in the teeth..

I now think of Cape Town in the same way that they portray Bangkok in the Hangover2: "Bangkok has him now, and she'll never let him go". It seems like once Cape Town has you, there is also no escape..

What on earth made me think that living our dream will be so easy? Like we will just pack up our belongings, bundle our cat and dog into the car and drive into the sunset (or at least on the highway, OUT of the City!). Who the hell were we kidding? At least it was fun while it lasted, that euphoric feeling that I had from Wednesday evening right through to Friday afternoon when our dream came crushing down. Yes, you've guess it, after great consideration and discussions with several parties, my boss said no. No can do.

At this precise moment, I am not sure what we are going to do and how we will go about making the best out of this situation. But really, bring on the challenge! Being disappointed and let down several times in my life made me tough. If I bare my soul to you and you make light of my situation, you hurt me. I might cry a little and sulk a wee bit, but eventually I will just be p*ssed off and the stubbornness that hides within me will surface and I will get to where I want to go.

Oh, and while I'm venting. I'm really angry at that little Lilipie widget in the corner. Today it stands on 9 months and 2 days that we've been waiting and the little baby seems to be falling into the nest already! Like really? Don't they know it sometimes takes longer than 9 months - were not pregnant - we're adopting! And what makes me much more angry is the fact that I'm scared to death that we'll get "The Call". I've been wishing and waiting for the last 9 months to get "The Call" and now I'm like pleading: "Please not now, just give us a month or 2 until we are settled or at least until we have a plan!". It makes me feel ungrateful and scared that if I ask that out loud, that our baby might never come...

The Courage to make Changes

A lot of stuff happened in the last 3-4 weeks. Not small stuff and not good stuff. We were propelled out of our comfy little zone and left scrambling for steady ground.
I do not want to bore you with the details, but in short: Riaan was forced to close his business after his main supplier (one which he serviced for 4 years) send him a fax on a Saturday afternoon to inform him that they will no longer be needing his services. They gave him 5 days notice...

We bought a little house in the country about 2 years ago which we are renovating and use over weekends to get away from the City. It is about 1 and a half hours drive out of Cape Town. We are currently living in my MIL house, but she put in on the market to be sold. All of this now left us with no income for Riaan and no house should this one get sold, and by effect no way to pay full rent for a house in Cape Town and pay off a bond on our home in the country.

We have been toying with the idea to open a little health shop in the country and have been plotting with the locals, but it all seemed but a dream. It seemed too big a dream because how on earth can we move out of the City, leave our decent salaries behind and afford to open a shop that will not be able to support us until we've established a decent market. I believe that if you put enough energy and thought into something you create an awareness about it and your life path takes you in that direction, because that is what your heart desires. So after about a year and a half of dreaming about this idea I think that the universe gave us a huge boot under our bums and said: "ENOUGH!! Get going and open your little shop and be happy in the beautiful, serene country already!!"

So yesterday I gathered up ALL of my courage. I am actually extremely shy and introverted, so for me to ask for any aid or assistance takes a lot out of me. I will rather struggle on my own. But I took some very long and deep breaths and told my boss that I would like to speak to her in private. Then I gave her an overview on our situation and asked her whether she will consider that I work from our home in the country. I manage the rental accounts and payments for an estate agency and 99% of my work is done online, so this is the perfect job to be able to do remotely.

We had a very positive discussion and she seams to be ok with the idea - rather than to have to replace me and trust a stranger with the responsibility. So over the next few days we will try to smooth out all the possible pitfalls and the finer details. But it seems like we will be able to start 2013 by opening a brand new chapter in our lives.

We will get to live in the country (which has always been our hearts' desire). I will get to keep my job (which I absolutely love) and Riaan will get to live his dream by having a little health shop. And of coarse, once our little bambino arrives we will be able to raise our family  - not in the craziness of a big City - but out in the country in a beautiful little town where the neighbours still know your name, your yard is 1000sqm of open space and it is safe to walk in the streets.