End of week Odds & Ends

I'm placing headers, so you can skip the stuff you aren't interested in reading:

WORK
Work was crazy this week. I had a business trip Mon-Tues in California, which means about 15 hours of travel for a 1 1/2 hour meeting. It was in Downey, which I had never been to before, but is a really lovely place. Bedroom suburb of LA. I have to say, LA drivers don't really know what rush-hour traffic is. I drove in pm rush hour Monday afternoon, and am rush hour Tuesday, and it's nothing compared to Chicago rush hour (which lasts about 7 hours a day.) There is ALWAYS traffic, usually bad traffic, in Chicago. Now, in LA's defense, I was told that a lot of drivers have switched to public trans because of the high price of gas. Chicago drivers have not. And, Chicago gas is more expensive than LA gas -- go figure.

I had the fantastic experience of transferring from a common cold to a sinus infection somewhere over the Rocky Mountains on my flight out. Made for a very poor night's sleep, and terrible flight home, but thankfully I had an excellent book which made it a bit easier. It's now Saturday and I'm still fighting the congestion and coughing from drainage, but at least I have drainage and less pressure. Horray! I'm sure it will be gone in another week.

Have another very busy week this week, due to some new files I received. Things will be easier when I settle a particular case that is a big pain in my rear. Very crazy client, but we all have those from time-to-time. I'm thankful for the new files and busy schedule because more billables = bigger bonus = more time I can take off next year w/ Sam. Without my billing bonus we really could not afford full maternity leave.

NEW DRESS

Gregg & I have at least one black-tie charity ball this winter for work. We love these. We love dressing up. Gregg broke down and purchased a tux 2 years ago because he was renting so often. I HAVE to (do you see the fake tears) purchase a new dress because all my formal wear is far to big and likely cannot be tailored to fit my new size. We'll go shopping now, because we noticed a lot of formal wear in the mall last week...likely for the upcoming party season. Hoping to get a huge deal. Gregg has final say, as he does with all formal wear and suit shopping --the guy has incredible taste!

HOME STUDY
So, our fab SW told us that the home study would be done mid-week of this week, but then they had a computer crash for 2 days due to Chicago's post-Ike storms and it was supposed to be done this Friday. It wasn't. But I'm not going to get discouraged. I'm hoping to see it in my email in-box by Tuesday. It will then be approved by CHI via email, and then delivered to Springfield for DCFS certification. After that, it's on to USCIS, so they can issue our 171-H. It seems like 171-Hs were being issued pretty quickly in 2007 (2-4 weeks) but are taking a bit longer in 2008 (4-12 weeks.) Not to worry, ALL of our gov't paperwork has happened quicker-than-expected, so we are technically ahead of the game. If we lose a couple weeks now, it's okay. I'm still confident that our dossier will be completed and ready to go by Jan 1. (which is only 2 months past our original goal date of October 28th.)

QUILT
I received the package I had been waiting for from Arizona -- we purchased a gorgeous lap quilt from Sandi (of 6Browns fame.) It is even more amazing than the pictures off her Esty site! I will take a picture of it in Sam's room (which is currently the guest bedroom) and will upload later today. I am so thrilled with it -- it's the perfect addition to the crib/toddler bedding we have picked out. It's in rich golds, yellows, orange, and chocolate brown. Although I really want to start sewing again and eventually quilting, I think I'm a long way behind Sandi's crazy-mad skills, and will have to "commission" some future pieces. Quilts are history, and love, and memories all rolled up in a blanket. Even when they are made by someone else. Dear friends of my parents made a quilt for our wedding which is perm on our bed. It is amazing and will always hold a special place in our home and hearts. Even though Sandi made the quilt we purchased before she knew us, and not w/ us in mind, I kind of feel like she sewed a little piece of her heart and her family in the quilt and sent it here for Sam. Someday I hope to meet up w/ her family (and other ETH families I have met via CHI) and get a picture of her baby & ours on the quilt. (when you see a picture you will understand all this blubbering!)

NEW BABIES!
Friends here in Chicago just had a perfect little girl, Maddy, on Sunday. She is home and doing really well with their other "babies" their 2 dogs. Great idea they gave me and we will use when bringing Sam home and introducing to our Lola -- they took a hat Maddy was wearing in the hospital, and gave it to the dogs for 24 hours in their puppy hotel before bringing them home. That way, they already knew Maddy's smell, and didn't feel the need to aggresively smell her at home. They just licked her toes and called it a day. I think this is a genius idea and we will do this with a onesie Sam wears in ETH, and take it to Lola before bringing her home.

Friends in Indiana just had a perfect little boy, Shane, last week. He is home & doing really well with his big sisters. We haven't seen pictures yet but cannot wait!

When these two little ones made their debut appearances, I of course thought of Sam, and if s/he had been born yet. It's hard for me to picture Sam in his/her first mom's tummy, but I picture him/her all the time, lying in a crib in a white short-sleeved onesie (so I don't know the gender.) Will be interesting to find out if I'm picturing Sam before s/he is even born.

Well, I think that's sufficient for now. I'll upload pics of the quilt & dresser re-finishing progress & new dress (if we find it) later this weekend. Need to get outside and continue sanding so I can put the first coats of stain on tomorrow.