Getting Organized

Last evening while Daniel worked late in court, I sat down with our entire dossier going through our checklist of documents. I realized we still needed a form signed by our home study agency, along with some other unfinished items (including our 'photos' pages). It was good to go through, get a headache and realize exactly where we are. I've heard it appropriately termed "paperwork sickness."

On a happy note, today we received our notarized and gold-sealed copies of the State Police Clearance letters. Things are slowly coming together. Looking back at our other adoptions, the ball never feels like it's rolling until we get all the paperwork done and sent off. At that point it will feel like a 'conception' has taken place and we'll wait, wait....wait, and wait some more. My mom said the other day that she keeps wondering each day "Is this the day Amelie was born?" It's eerie, and we have asked ourselves that same question many times.

I'm finding it more difficult with each adoption to find the time to compile paperwork. With my daily schedule it makes me think of another blog I read recently about multi-tasking. My daily routine: Peeling myself out of bed at 6:45am, sitting in silence for a moment to gain composure and focus even if and when Liam is yelling for me, as I'm half-dressed wobbling out of my bedroom with a rooster hairdo into the dark hallway to make sure Sorin has gotten up on time and has showered so that Liam can bathe by 7:00am, while at the same time putting pets out and getting ready to greet baby Cecilia at 7:15 (I have to orchestrate Liam's bath to be over, dressed and fed by then), along with getting Sky and Andrew peeled out of their gooey sheets while not buying into their cranky complaints and arguments, picking out their clothes fast enough to get downstairs for Liam's bus, then breakfasts, sack lunches, cleaning up the kitchen, showering myself and getting ready just 20 minutes prior to getting Andrew & Sky to school, coming home, collapsing for 15-20 minutes with my tea recovery time, and then I proceed to the duties of the day..I'm lucky if I remember to check my calendar and get everything done. All the while I'm breathing and focusing upon a central part within myself that remains inactive and calm, unchanged and unaffected by the whirling dharma of my life. It's a core of joy. I won't even get into how my daily juggle goes after school. That can become even more hairy, but when the kids are in bed (all by 8:00 and no later) I have my cherished time with Daniel, and we reflect on all the wonderful things that took place in between all the actions and duties we carried out. Those make it all worthwhile and we cannot imagine how it's all going to be with our 5th little munchkin thrown into the mix. Routine seems to be the most valuable asset with a family...it becomes like a fine tuned machine when we have a rhythm and it takes time to obtain. I like to think of it as a cyclic dance; the more the merrier!