Boxes Ticked, Stork Alerted

The Stork made a preemptive strike the other day.

Luckily it wasn't the actual baby yet as we still haven't finished cleaning out the house nor have we decided where the wee Billie Joe Schleck Frey is going to live. For now we have finished all the required paperwork (just sent the last three items in this week) and today we have our final meeting with the social worker. Then we are officially ready to get matched with a birthmom.

Though we have had two false alarms already. Once in early May and once earlier this month. Our adoption agency calls with these magic words: "There's a birthmother..." and you take a small step toward maybe being matched. That first phone call is simply to say, we would like to put your info into the small group of potential adoptive parents for the birthmom to pick from. The agency will have a small bit of information for you, the due date, the location of the birthmom, the ethnicity and maybe the sex of the baby. You can say yes or no at that point. We said yes both times, and both times we were not chosen, but it was really good practice to see how that feels. I think the heart pounding will be reduced every time we get that call as it is less exciting the more times we go through it. The heart rate will shoot through the roof when we get that next call "The birthmom picked you..." I'll let you know how that goes.

So for now, more cleaning out of the house and offices, perhaps a bit of research into pediatricians, carseats, strollers, etc. Also? Fantasizing about getting a dishwasher and where to put it.

(Thanks for the books, Debra!)
 

Weigh in Wednesday on Friday

Getting back on track - back down to 178 today and I have exercised every day this week. I rule!

Another way I rule? Since I've changed my eating habits by reducing a lot of fatty foods and really getting a lot of high fiber into my meals, my cholesterol has gone down 20 points since last year. I was at 202 and now am at 182. That is a great bonus!

And while I've enjoyed life in the 180-size-12 zone, I'm over it. For a while I felt "skinny" compared to being 197 like I was at Christmas. But now I'm feeling not so skinny anymore. I am motivated to get solidly into the mid-170's and keep that scale going down.

More importantly -- my hair is getting longer and longer and the summer is getting hotter and hotter. I want to cut my hair! But no can do until I hit and stay at 167 (or less). The hair is a big motivator as it takes time to blow dry and blowing hot air at your head for 20 minutes on a warm summer morning is not fun. Mostly I avoid that by leaving it wavy, but it doesn't look quite as nice...

More than halfway to my goal, but no giving up now. 

Right Squeakie?? (See, he has short hair, lucky guy.)

Wild Kingdom In West LA

Smokey is our part time neighborhood cat. He has no collar but seems well fed and clean so we assume he belongs to someone nearby. He does spend time sunbathing in our yard some mornings and uses our fence as an easement to other places. Sometimes he let's me pet him, but not often. I have no idea what his name is, I just started calling him Smokey. I mean, look at the pictures, wouldn't you think "Smokey"? (Kurt teases me for naming cats obvious things.)

All that is prologue to today when I caught Smokey out of the corner of my eye along the fence through one of my office windows. I turned idly to watch him continue on his way at the 2nd window and saw that he had a dead mouse in his jaws. The Supreme Predator at work!!

I thought he would keep going, but instead he hopped down to the ground below my window and began to do what cats do: play with their food...

 

 

 ...then scarf it down. Mmmmm!

I don't know why it made me laugh, but I appreciate that Smokey likes our backyard enough to enjoy his well earned lunch.

Good boy Smokey!

Smokey is a good neighbor. Once he was done eating (I didn't watch that part), he left not a trace of anything in his picnic ground.

Where is Marlin Perkins or Jim Fowler when you need them?
 

 
 

Weigh in Wednesday on Friday

Good Morning! My last official weigh in (about 3 weeks ago) was at 178. After a week on Maui and a nice relaxing 4th of July weekend, I had been back up to 181. (Not bad for eating all that Maui comfort food!) 

Today I am back to 179, good for me!

I have been enjoying my new life here in 180 and size 12 land. I have new jeans to wear, cute skirts have been pulled from the back of the closet, I look better, I feel better, life is good! Yet I can't linger here too long. I have a destination. That destination is 167 and I need to get moving if I'm going to buy and wear a bikini this summer.  

Once I get to 167, I can linger there for a while as it's been YEARS since I've been there. After that, there will be a new goal. But for now, I'm continuing on my way to the original goal of losing 25 pounds.

Notice Mr. Oinkers expression there. Like me, he's impatient with the number and ready to get back on track. Squeal!

Interrupting Maui For A Bit Of Rock Band

When Grace and Audrey were here we played Rock Band (Green Day and RB2) for about 3 hours. It was a blast. Grace took this photo and I find it so hilarious. I'm so square and yet I want to be a punk rocker.

 

Seabury Reunions - Friday Night

First I have to correct and omission from my previous post about the "year long reunions". I also spent time with Lisa from my class last summer. We didn't take a photo so that's why I spaced. (I'm such a visual person I guess.) 

Then, funny thing, at the airport on our way back, I ran into Lauren from my class. She was on Maui with her family and I haven't seen her in 25 years. Amazing.

For the official weekend, we started with a party Friday night at our place. First we had to clean up and put the food out.

 
(I promise we had more/better food than just the spam musubi!)

It was wonderful to see so many faces I hadn't seen in years and years! Getting a photo of us all was like herding cats. I love this picture best.

L-->R: Robert Crozier, Chipper Conrad, Sarah Bott, Joy Fitzgibbon, Robert Stoner, Hilary Harris, Victoria Estenson, Jennifer Bruce, Maria Rawe, Fred Rawe, Swaim Flowers (in front of Fred), me, Brent Estenson. Missing from the photo are: Cyana, David Dixon, Christina E.  

Hilary, Sarah and me. Hilary is even more gorgeous than I remember from Seabury!

Here I am with Maria and Fred Rawe. Fun to talk as grown ups! I told Maria all about the time I ran into them at 12:30 at night while waiting for Kevin to sneak out of the dorm. Ask me and I'll tell you about it sometime. The moral of the story -- when you are a square, you can get away with things like that.

The other thing I loved about inviting the Rawes to the party was how many people stopped short when they saw Fred. Fred was Dean of Students and dealt with discipline. In a split second you could see the wheels turning to all the trouble caused in high school. It was hilarious.

Another gorgeous creature I hadn't seen for longer than 25 years: Mary Hogan. What a treat to see her again!

The party was fun, relaxing, sweet. Couldn't wait for the official party on Saturday night.