5/6/08

Preparing for takeoff...


So, today we cleared two more hurdles on our road to our Flynn/QiuQiu. We spent the first half of the day finishing our spring cleaning and preparing for our first face-to-face meeting with our new social worker.
Oh! Look at that. There's my star again. Hunh. Wonder how that happened.


Tubs of flowers on our stoop. Gosh, I really love springtime.

Our first full-blown allium. Oh, the satisfaction!

Just beginning to bloom.

Lucky Luciano, smelling the roses.

Oh, geesh! How did this slip in here? I swear, I had nothing to do with it.

CUPCAKES!!!!
Mike stopped off at Happy Cakes after his meeting with his business school counselor (planning his final year of school). Ostensibly, the cupcakes were intended as a welcome for our new social worker. But she was far too polite to actually eat one (although she did admire them). So I guess now they're all for me!!!!
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Oh, sorry there. Had to take a quick break from posting because my husband just called my cell phone...from the other side of the house.
I mean, we don't live in any sort of a mansion here. The other side of the house is two rooms away. At most, 800 sq ft separate my office from his. And yet, he called me...to ask me to come look at something funny on his computer.
Yah. That's married life in the M&M household.
Anyway.
Back to our story:

After putting the last bit of spit and polish on our housecleaning endeavor, we drove uptown to Passport Health for $800-plus worth of immunizations. Here, you can see the colorful bandaids they used to cover the numerous puncture wounds. After nearly an hour's worth of educational talks on everything from dengue fever to Japanese encephalitis, we ended up opting to be injected with vaccines against Hep A&B, tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (the dreaded and re-emerging whooping cough), as well as a new booster for measles, mumps and rubella. Oh, and we're getting typhoid. But we were over the shots, so we opted for the pills instead. They last longer.

I had an odd experience with the immunization clinic. I mean, not that it's fun to pay close to a grand for shots, and then walk around with a very sore arm for a couple of days. But somehow, it empowered me. I like the idea of being immunized. It was like a big dose of superpower in the arm. Also, mentally, it somehow gave me back my status as a world traveler. For much of my life, travel was the norm. Even dangerous travel. I was cool with it - any and all of it. I knew the ropes and I had all my badges. But in the past couple of years, travel has taken a backseat to the other essential parts of life - career, house ownership, marriage, the long, arduous process of adoption. And honestly, I was starting to feel soft - unaccustomed to the hardships of the road. Don't get me wrong, I have come to love the many joys of conjugal bliss and home ownership. It's been a wonderful learning process. But I miss the carefree, devil-may-care joys of life out in the world. Another thing that the process of adoption has taught me is fear. I've experienced uncertainty, tenuousness, even panic during the course of this process, and it has made me timid in a strange way...always waiting for the other shoe to drop, for the rug to be snatched out from under me. This is not a normal state of being for me, and I've missed my own bravery, my toughness, my independence.
The immunization clinic gave me back my courage. It made me feel like the world traveler again. It helped me to remember my strengths, my fearless nature. And for that, I've been walking on air all day.

"OK. OK, you can stop taking pictures now!"

Along with the shots, the travel clinic gave us a 50-s0me page long pamphlet on diseases that exist in the area to which we'll be traveling, and its surroundings. We also purchased a travelers' diarrhea emergency kit. OK, not the most fun thing to think about - but definitely nice to have as a backup. I lived on an off in central Mexico for a few years in my teens, so I'm well attuned to the habits of living in a country with questionable water. Still always better safe than sorry. And my husband is what is called an "adventurous eater". He's the Anthony Bourdain of travelers. Under the circumstances, we want to be prepared.

And, of course, at the end of the housecleaning, social worker visit, and immunization marathon, Sam was there to ask, "WHAT...IS...GOING...ON...HERE?????"

14 comments:

chrissie said...

HA! S calls me from the other side of our house too...mostly to come look at something on his computer!!! Sounds a productive successful day!!! Everything looks so fresh! I am excited for you guys to be jumping more hurdles!!! LOVE!

kerri said...

Lovin' the funky band-aids, my even your band-aids are artistic and creative. I am feeling so boring over here with my Dora and Diego's, LOL.
I adore the last photo, the dog is so expressive, he looks totally confused as to what the heck is going on, LOL.

Unknown said...

after the loooooong wait,it's amazing how life starts careening forward when you get that amazing phone call and photo!

cheering you on as you regain courage!

Fliss and Mike Adventures said...

Nothing wrong with a call across the house... I have done the same thing to my Mike... hehehehe - though my Mike swears black and blue no needles for him... he is NOT a fan... you had me laughing about the Superpower being put back in your arm... hahaha... you go sister... take care

Carrie said...

I hope your arm feels better soon-can't wait to see take off!

Yoli said...

What does your tatoo in your arm say? I see empire but not the rest.

I am happy you got your wonderlust on! I know how you feel, trust me. Travel for me was everything. It still holds a very powerful place in my heart.

The cupcakes, man, I am so jealous, they look delicious. I WANT ONE! WAAAAWWWW

Juliette said...

I can relate for the travels so much! How I love the excitement of the unknown and getting ready and packing. I know you'll bring Flynn with you everywhere and it's good. You'll just need to pack WAYYYY more lol.
Those cupcakes look so yummy I am with Yoli, I want one!!!
Oh and can you believe it, I already received my books. I so love your drawings, too COOL. It will be perfect for when Maƫlle starts to tell me not to kiss her anymore in front of her friends, sadly I think it's going to be soon...

fourlittlehawks said...

Is it just me, or do Sam and Lucky Luciano have similar facial expressions in these photos?

Love,
Jen Hawkins

Vivian M said...

Those band aids rock! And so do your superpowers! Just ask Kerri, she is the queen of fashionable bandaids.
I can't believe your social worker refused those cupcakes! Ours ate whatever we put in front of her. More for you, yay!
I am not sure I have seen enough pictures of the star on the wall yet. I think I might need to see one more!

Heather said...

I love that star! The house looks great and you are well on your way to Flynn! I can't believe you did all those shots in one day! You're a stud!

P.S. Did I mention that I love your star?

bamboosprouts said...

Is your new SW Karen? She never eats what I set out for her! LOL

Rick and I email and IM each other as if our house is a mansion too. ;) This can come in handy if you want to have a discussion or some words and you have 3 kiddos hanging around. LOL

J said...

Where is Happy Cakes? I adore cupcakes, especially hot pink ones.

Deirdre said...

Everything looks so beautiful! Yay spring. And congrats on your inoculation celebration. Nothing like getting pumped full of rare viruses to make a day.

I still need to bring you those books—and now with that star I know exactly which house is yours. :-) Oh, and as always, let me know if you need any help with the cupcakes.

kitchu said...

Oh man is Sam in for it when he meets the answer to his question! Love that photo of him!