Scramble.
Yesterday, I had a doctor’s appointment at 8:15 AM. It takes half-an-hour to get to town. At 7:47 I emerged from the house and almost slipped down the front steps, it was so icy. The car was covered in a sheet of it, back and front windshields. My heart sank. I was already late to an appointment that had been cancelled and rescheduled so many times it made the date book scary-black with ink. And now there was ice.
When I lived in Michigan and the car was covered with ice in the mornings, it would take me boiling two pots of water on the stove to pour over the windshield to get it to thaw up enough to scrape off. I was still in Michigan Mind, despite having lived in Arizona for seven years now. I had never encountered ice on the windshields before (frost yes, ice no) here. So I ran my hand along the rear window, and–voila!–it just peeled away. Ahhhh. Arizona is not like the upper midwest. Good to know.
I made it to the appointment, where I requested all the prescription meds I might need for Emme Lu in China. R.’s doctor gave him a real fight about it–especially the antibiotics, which he refused to prescribe even though I had sent R. into his doctor with all the information on ‘orphandoctor.com’ printouts. I don’t have many nice things to say about R.’s doc. He was also the one who questioned why in the world R. would ever want to have more kids, now that his two bios are grown. We have some choice words for him around The SBird Nest. My doctor just cooed appropriately over The Bee’s photos and wrote out the scripts. I wonder whether it’s a woman thing.
My doctor also recommended a pediatrician to me, and I called and have an appointment set up for Emme on March 29th. I bascially realize that there is no way in hell we will be back from China in time to make that appointment, but they weren’t taking April appointments yet, and I wanted to get in the system. So, sometime in March I will call and reschedule the appointment for mid-April, when I think we will safely be back. It was so much fun to answer the woman’s questions about my daughter’s name and my daughter’s birthdate…to actually HAVE answers to these questions is so mindblowing to me…yep, as crazy as it may sound, this is the sort of mindless detail that I just don’t take for granted. For me, mindless details represent that coveted status of parenthood I have been after for so long now.
Speaking of schedules, someone on my SN board who has a LID of 11-14-06 announced today that she just received the LOA (the Letter Seeking Confirmation of Adopter), which is the very last step before TA. It basically signals that your TA is ready and only about two weeks away. This is significant for us because our (new) LID is 11-21-06, which MIGHT mean that we are only a week away from the LOA, and thus only three weeks away from TA. I am SOOO hoping we get this LOA thing before CNY.
It’s still not clear, though, when we might travel…optimistically thinking, it could be a mid-March to late-March trip. But probably more like late-March to early-April. Now that a couple of my fave bloggers Jacquie and Johnny received their referrals, I am wondering whether I will get to meet them around Shamian. Cool if it works out.
Happy Groundhog’s Day, by the way. Does Phil ever see his shadow? I can’t remember that ever happening…the sun’s not ever exactly blazing high in the sky at 7:00 AM or whenever they do the ceremony. Which reminds me. Here is an odd fact about me: I hate sunglasses. I almost never wear them, although I do own several drugstore-variety pairs. I always feel like there is some veil in front of my eyes, and I can’t see when I wear sunglasses. Especially when I’m driving. You might as well throw a bag over my head. Except a bag wouldn’t look nearly as cool. Um, yeah.
Actually, I just heard today that out of 112 predictions, the groundhog has seen his shadow on 98 of those. So he really sees his shadow quite a bit!!!
Comment by: Sara - 02.02.2007 - 6.57 pm
You are a smart doctor appointment woman. I am impressed. I dont even want to think about finding a pediatrician.
Next year, I was thinking of shoving one of my prairie dogs in a hole and seeing if they see a shadow. They will probably bite me and run.
Comment by: Nicole - 02.03.2007 - 7.36 am
That’s so cool to be making real plans and appointments for Emme.
And yes, Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow this year! From what I hear, that only happens 13% of the time. Now two of the groundhogs closest to me did not see their shadows, so I’m not sure what this means. Do we go by Punxsutawney Phil or by our local hogs, since weather is a local thing?
Comment by: Maggie - 02.03.2007 - 10.28 am
Oooops, I mean did NOT see his shadow, which means early spring. Our local hogs saw their shadows and went back into hibernation. Someday I’ll get this thing straight!
Comment by: Maggie - 02.03.2007 - 10.30 am
Oh, I’m so hoping for your TA is coming soon! And how cool to be making appointments and giving info on YOUR DAUGHTER. My god. Something that might seem so minor to some, but I GET IT.
And me and you in Guangzhou? Perfect! Oh yeah, and that other guy too. Heh.
Comment by: Jacquie - 02.03.2007 - 4.00 pm
So, you’ll have a Michigan jersey ready?
It would be interesting to have drinks with you gals at the Swan.
Comment by: Johnny - 02.03.2007 - 7.20 pm
Ahah! So soon! I’ve got my fingers crossed for you!
Comment by: OmegaMom - 02.03.2007 - 9.11 pm
Yay! You know her name and birthdate! You’re a MOM!
Comment by: christie - 02.03.2007 - 11.14 pm
Oooooooo,ahhhhhhhhh,ohhhhhhhhh, that is so awesome that you got to make a doctors appt for Emme. I so look forward to the day when we are close enough to even go interview peditricians. But you have the meds, have the appt, and you will have your TA soon, and then your plane tickets, and then Emme…..can you tell I am getting excited for you? It is the next best thing to getting your own child-seeing someone else get theirs. We can’t wait for you guys to be on your way to China!!
Comment by: jules - 02.04.2007 - 8.52 am
Must be a really good feeling to be making some real plans for when Emme Lu is HOME! I hope time will pass quickly for you.
Comment by: Aimee - 02.04.2007 - 5.07 pm
I wish you only the best
Comment by: Henry - 02.05.2007 - 7.22 am
As far as doctors go, to me it often has seemed to be a generational thing.
A name and a birthdate and a photo and whatever else you have in hand — no small things! She is real, she is your daughter, she is near!
Comment by: new girl - 02.05.2007 - 2.56 pm
Holy moly, I hope you are only a week away from LOA. Everything will start to ZOOM once that happens… whhhheeeeeeeeeeeeee!!! Glad you’ve got a good doc (or at least a better one than R.).
Oh, and sunglasses are overrated. I’m a drugstore sunglasses kind of gal myself.
Comment by: atomic mama - 02.05.2007 - 2.59 pm
I hope TA comes soon!
BTW, is the password thing new? Or have I just been out of it????
Comment by: WendyN - 02.06.2007 - 3.21 pm
How fun to be nexting and planning and easing into your Mommy Role. It is going to be so very soon, now. I know that is relative - to me, it feels just around the corner.
Oh yea, and your doc ROCKS. How awesome of her to give you a ped referral as well as the RX. What a peach. I’ve already got several MD referrals - yes, I am a planner…just a gal waiting for the coveted status of parenthood…already trying to set into place the mindless details.
Comment by: wzgirl - 02.06.2007 - 4.40 pm
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Comment by: Tips to Conceiving Fast - 08.01.2008 - 9.43 am