Proceed with caution: adoptive parent ahead

The long wait and uncertain timelines are taking a toll on everyone in the adoption community. I'm convinced that if you look closely you can see cartoon-like wavy lines of tension radiating from our bodies while we watch anxiously for any tidbit of news that might signal we are next in line... So please, if you know someone who is waiting for adoption news of any kind, do them a huge favor and DON'T ask "hey what's the latest on the adoption?" every single time you talk to them. It just dials up the tension and makes them feel even edgier. If there's anything to report, trust me you won't be able to shut them up. It will come gushing madly out of them and you'll just have to sit there and take it. Possibly for hours, and most likely accompanied by pictures, wild hand gestures, and happy weeping. In the meantime, rest assured that nothing new has happened, and you're not missing out on one iota of news by not asking. In fact, if you want to get the gold medal for "friendship to an adopting person," try this: walk up to the person, give them a huge hug and say just this and nothing more "Hey I understand that the adoption process is long and hard and just wanted to give you a hug and tell you I love you. Now where are we going for lunch?" Ahhhhhhh. By the way, if you're wondering if this is directed at you, it isn't, so stop worrying. This is a general post and was not inspired by anyone in particular. Honestly! In fact this post has been rattling around in my head for quite some time and I purposely waited to write it until I had not been around one single person who had grilled me about the (lack of) adoption progress so no one would feel bad. (Yeah I'm a worrier like that.) For the record, we are still hoping for a referral in April and travel at the end of May but it could easily be a month or two later than that. Also for the record, TubaDad is now the surprise reigning champion of our favorite new game Scene It, which we played last night with our fun neighbors. Have you tried it? If you were a tv kiddo in the 70s and 80s, we challenge you to a game! But be warned that I was apparently a pint-sized couch potato because I'm good. In other weekend news, my friend Risa and I had an adventurous dinner at a cool Vietnamese restaurant where we recklessly ordered the "7 Courses of Beef." Whooooeeeeee, bring it on. And on, and on, and on. If you have the chance to indulge in one of these dinners (all 7 courses are pictured below), go for it! Finally, I added a few new categories to my blogroll at right and shuffled things around to make it easier to follow because my mom and good friend Shirley were having trouble finding the web sites of the people who are in China right this very minute. And you know that you have to keep mom happy... Anyhow, hope you like it.