Deep Freeze

The past couple days have been below zero as a high; right now it is a heat wave of sorts with it almost being 10 degrees. The wind chill though is making it feel even colder.


Our agency did not get any new referrals this week, but they did place one of the waiting children. According to my count that would make us 106, but last week Mindy who is right ahead of us in line checked with her CHI adoption consultant and found out she was 103 on the list, so based on that and that they placed a waiting child, we might be up to #103 on the list now; we're gettig close to the double digits. In other adoption news, US Immigration has raised the VISA fee, so the new fee is now $402. Also, hotel rates at the hotels we use have went up $20 a night. I know in Ho Chi Minh City, we use The Rex Hotel, but I'm not sure which hotel we use in Hanoi. They also expect to receive more referrals before Tet, the VietnameseNew Year on February 7th.


Yesterday, we finally went out and bought a new dishwasher. It is a Whirlpool and won't be delivered until February 9th, since it is on backorder. We got a great deal 18 months no interest, free delivery, free installation, free carting away of the old dishwasher and since a built-in dishwasher is thought of as a home improvenent,; there is no sales tax. Since we saved on this, we ended up getting the 3-year service plan.







The bookstore across from my work is going out of business (again). Last year when they went out of business, I bought a few child rearing and adoption books for me: Raising Adopted Children, What to Expect the Toddler Years, and How to Say No to Your Toddler. This time I bought some books for our child-to be.











The first four are cardboard picture books and Dumpy La Rue is a story of a pig who wants to dance. It was a really cute story. If any of you live or work near the Chicago Loop; the bookstore at Washington and Franklin is selling their inventory at 50% off and there's a lot that is still left.