Time Does Heal

July was a year when Daisy was diagnosed with kidney failure.  It was also when I first injured my foot while walking.  And it was a year ago this time last year when I thought the injury was healed and started training to walk a half marathon.  Those were some really miserable times.  Daisy was and is stressful and has so much more than just the kidney failure...she's started coming in a whole lot more this week...here she is on the couch!  One time she pees, and she's back out.  But she does seem like she's come a long way.  And to think, we almost put her to sleep in June...

And far as my injury, went to the doc today.  Will go back in a few weeks, but him and I both are so glad to see that I'm getting around a lot better.  Still aches, still wear the Richie brace in the hiking shoes, and the splint at night, but soon I'll be able to start the process of going back to normal...by going back to the aircast, and then eventually nothing...well, very good shoes, and I will never wear Crocs again, those have been in the trash for awhile!  It has taken so much time, patience, and money for the tendon to heal.  It's not there yet, and I won't be walking for exercise for a long time.  But really getting a lot out of the yoga and the bike.
And came back with a minor procedure from the doc.  I had had a pedicure back in April when I went to Nashville.  Had it at the Grand Ole Opry Hotel, and it wasn't the pleasant experience I was hoping for.  She really  hurt my toes while doing the pedicure and meant to mention to the doc when I last saw him a few months ago, but forgot...but couldn't put it off anymore...both of my big toes and some of the others just kept getting worse.  So had one toe taken care of, and will have the other done in a few weeks.  Besides hurting my toes, she had filed my feet down to raw skin...lesson learned...I won't be getting  a pedicure ever in a place I don't know about.
We were so happy to have our sewing store offer their booth for us to sell our products.  We're an Internet business and not prepared for taking orders on the spot, and we were going to be out of town, so just dropped by to see the fair.  Had never been.  It is one of the best in the country.  Not really our thing, but it was nice to get out and see it.  They didn't have our products up yet, but asked them to take pictures for us, so hopefully we can get those.  But did take pictures of the surroundings...brings you back to a simpler time...

Had fun taking pictures of the things around that you would normally not pay any attention to.  And had fun editing them in Photoshop Elements...giving them a little artsy look...

And then Friday of last week we flew into White Plains, NY, got a rental and OMG, the GPS was well worth the $$...now it just makes us want one!  Drove just 45 mins away to Danbury, CT for my brother's wedding.  Spent most of the time with family...
My brother, Steven, rented a van and drove us around some sites...

This is where the wedding was held.  Beautiful old mansion.  The caterers were saying it was haunted, so had fun making it look a little freaky in Photoshop Elements...
But this is it as normal...beautiful place..
Steven and Tammy Bowers...so happy for the both of them...

Dennis and I had gone to NY for some Broadway plays 4 years ago this same month for our anniversary.  And being so close, we took one day for us...so we took a train into Grand Central Station from Brewster, not far from Danbury, CT.   Had to get this shot of the stairs...HUGE obstacle for me with my foot injury, but not much anymore! Cannot tell you how happy I am to be able to walk and get around.  Although the big toe ended up bothering more...go figure...

Shots of Grand Central...
One of my favs...
Another fav...love the faces of the people.  I don't normally look for people's faces, but I may have to start doing that...lots of life experiences behind those faces...
First set of stairs at the train station...I could not have done this a year ago, not even 6 months ago...How thankful I am to be able to walk and climb stairs!!
Only took a few shots while walking around...
We split a piece of cheesecake here and still couldn't finish it.  But got the info to order, so may be having Junior's for dessert for Thanksgiving...mmm mmm
AHHH, the main reason to come into NY for us...Broadway.  I love the Harry Potter books and movies.  I had heard about Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter character in the movies) doing a play.  But I also heard he got butt naked.  Little disturbing at first to put Harry Potter being naked together in my mind...but then realized how narrow minded I was being.  Daniel Radcliffe is an actor, not Harry Potter.  They are all just actors playing a role.  And then heard that Richard Griffiths, the man who plays Uncle Vernon in the Harry Potter movies, was in it.  Not a feel good sort of story that is based on a true story.  I couldn't believe how lucky we got to be able to be in NY at the time that the play was in NY.  It will only be there for a short time and is the reason for the delay in the next Harry Potter movie, The Half Blood Prince, so it was once in a lifetime experience to be able to see both of these actors live.

AWESOME play.  Go see it if you can.  We both really enjoyed it.  But know it is not a feel good story.  The 17-year old boy played by Daniel blinded several horses because of some distorted views of religion and the worship of horses.  His parents didn't allow him to watch TV, his Mother read the Bible to him each night, his Dad was an atheist, and he also caught his Dad watching porn.  The play takes place in a psychiatric hospital, with Richard Griffiths character playing the doctor.  The doctor feels his career has hit menopause and compares himself to the boy.  Lots of symbolism, very deep, and we both were wishing we had DVR to rewind some of the things they said!  Richard Griffiths was just wonderful.  Daniel Radcliffe really stepped out and did an amazing performance.
The tickets were pretty steep...$300+ if we had ordered ahead of time.  But our money has been going into the business so much and we were so busy...I just said c'est la vie...if the tickets are still available when we get there, then it was meant to be...WE WERE BOTH SO HAPPY TO GET THEM and get them at 50% off!!!  So glad we made the trip into the city.

And speaking of people's faces...I love the look on the lady to the right...it's that amazed look you have of seeing the Big City...

Did take the subway when we could, but mostly walked...
I got so dizzy taking this blurry shot.  But it's as close to the Empire State Building as I'll get...don't like heights...hands were sweating just taking the shot...
We're both ready to go back to see more Broadway plays.  And can't wait to bring Emma to see some of the ones for kids.  And speaking of Emma...

In case anyone has heard and has been concerned for us...we are not affected by the Hague Convention.  Our I-600A will expire in March, and even though we may have our referral by that time, we can't take that chance of letting our I-600A expire because it's her Visa.  So got confirmation from the USCIS that we are grandfathered in...AND...we are still eligible for the one free extension!!!!  What that means is, we won't have to pay $700+ for another I-600A!!!  We've already had our social worker out on Saturday for a visit to get our home study updated.  She'll send off for police clearances, and we'll get our physicals, and then she'll finish the home study report.  Once we get that okayed with our agency, we'll send everything to the USCIS for an extension.  So far I think the forecast of February 09 is a little more accurate since we're closer.  It still seems crazy to think that the CCAA is matching families and babies with March 06 Log in Dates, but to get to our log in date of March 14, 2006, it will take 5 months...  To give an even sadder real-life example of how things have been...a family with a log in date of September 2006, will have to wait an additional three years for their referral!!  THREE YEARS!!!!!  If a family started the process with China now, it would probably be 6 years for a referral.  Nothing is for sure, but so far the "forecast" has been pretty accurate.

And more good news.  We don't have to start all over again for our educational credits!  With the wait so long, they were only good for a year.  But because of when we started, the agency said, we just need to update it.  And we have the DVD lesson regarding Medical that we've been saving...worked out perfectly.

These next 5 months will fly, and don't know that I'll ever feel like I'm really ready, but this long wait will seem like nothing compared to the lives we will soon be sharing with another human being that God is trusting us to raise in a healthy environment.  One thing I have thought is that I know for sure she has got to be born now.  With the better accuracy of when we will get our referral, I think it's safe to say that, for sure, she has been born.  So the struggles of her parents and of her have already begun, but hopefully time will heal all of their hearts and that they will soon each experience peace...