Adoption Workshops

We have our first workshop on March 13th in Dover.  This agency is more focused on open domestic adoptions which frankly scare the shit out of me, but I am hoping that if we learn more about it then my fears of the bio mom showing up one day and my child liking them better will go away.  The other agency's workshop is in April and it focuses on international adoption, which is mor what we are leaning towards.   

I also ordered four adoption books today through amazon.com!  I am looking forward to reading them in the upcoming months.  

The first thing we are going to do financially is pay off my car and finish up the house.  If we double or triple the car payments some months it should be paid off in a year and a half tops.  Then the money we were putting towards that will inevitably start going to pay off the loan we are going to take out.  I am ok with that, we will be used to not having that money so it won't be a shock.   I am also super looking forward to our house being done.  Well let's face it, it will never be totally done. For example our kitchen is in perfect working order, but we decided this weekend that we are going to do new countertops.  Nothing fancy or expensive, just new laminate but it will look ten times better then what we have now. 

On the actual ttc front we tried using opks again this month.  hahaha, that was a joke.   I think my hormones are still wacked out from the IVF drugs because I never got a positive and now there is no line at all.  I told DH its just time to get our sex life totally back in order and if it happens it happens.  If we are having sex every other or every third day then you are bound to hit O time every month and that is going to be the end of it.  Him and my parents like to hear lines like this out of me although we all know I don't actually think that it will happen.  

Phew.  

Down 2 more pounds!

I actually had to step off the scale this morning, reset it, and then I got back on to make sure I wasn't seeing things.  I am down 10 pounds total since we finished our IVF cycle!  I was getting frusturated last week becuase the scale wasn't moving but this certainly works for me.   Woot woot!

About my product raves

Philosophy products have done wonderful things for my skin.  They do not have SLSs in them which is a great start, but sweet jesus you should see the other toxic chemicals in them.  Here is a quick list I found of the top 5 toxins that you should look out for.

Parabens: These preservatives come in several forms (methyl, ethyl, propyl, benzyl and butyl) and have been found in breast cancer tumors — though the link to cancer has yet to be substantiated. Parabens are found practically everywhere. Really, spend five minutes in your bathroom today and you’ll find parabens lurking in products in the medicine cabinet, the shower, and your makeup bag.

 

Aluminum and friends: Aluminum should be wrapped around sandwiches and not absorbed into the body where, as I mentioned earlier, it has been connected to Alzheimer’s disease. But aluminum is a key ingredient in antiperspirant and may look like any of these on a label: aluminum chlorohydrate, aluminum zirconium tetrachlorohydrex gly or any other aluminum compound.

 

Triclosan: Sounds like a toilet bowl cleaner, but it’s really a chemical that is classified as a pesticide by the FDA. It’s thought to contain carcinogenic contaminants and is stored in body fat. Also look for triclosan in antibacterial soaps.

 

Talc: This seemingly benign duster of baby bottoms is often contaminated with asbestos (which is carcinogenic). The catch? The amount of asbestos in talc is unregulated, so you don’t know how much asbestos you’re in for when you buy products containing talc. 

 

Propelyn glycol: As a “penetration enhancer,” propelyn glycol sounds as if it should be sold with Viagra, but it is actually believed to be a neurotoxin that may cause kidney or liver damage.

Let's start with parabens.  In everything, literally everything.  Lotions, shampoos, face products.   They mimic estrogen and may possibly play a role in breast cancer and fertility issues.  Nice, right?

Aluminum is one that I am not sure I can totally rid out of my daily routine.  I love my secret.

One not on the list but an obvious is Sodium Lauryl Sulfate.  It's not only a possible carcinogen, but it's also extremely crappy for your hair.  This one can also mimc estrogen.  

The rest are just as shitty and all over the damn place.   Baby powder anyone?  Well you obviously can not rid yourself of all of these but I am just putting them out there.   Why do I even think about these now?  The toxic ovary comment from the RE.  I started researching what I put on my body and it is just amazing.   Now, I highly doubt that any of these lead to my crappy eggs, but hey living healthier can't hurt now can it.

02/17/2009

Thinking about adoption gives me panic attacks, literally.  We are going to two different workshops in the upcoming months which should give us a lot of insight on what we want to do.  We are not comfortable with open domestic adoptions and that is all that they have in Delaware.  I can just imagine our child becoming a teenager and abadoning us for their much cooler bio mom.  Really, I stay up at night worrying about these things.  I have read horror story after horror story of families who adopted domestically outside of their race.  The children growing up to resent the parents for adopting them.  I have had clients in my office who state they want to adopt, work with the agencies and then decide last minute not too.  This would be our luck.  

The only obvious decision that we have made so far is that we are going to look into international adoption.  We are going to need a minimum of 25k and chances are it will be more like 30k.  That makes me want to throw up and cry all at the same time.  We just got out of credit card debt and if we take out a loan for that amount we won't be able to afford our house, the loan payment and daycare.  We could save up and live like we did back when we had no money on ramen noodles but that is not what I want either.  Chris wants me to stay positive but all I can think is that we are just screwed.  Yes, we could go back into serious debt but that just opens a whole other can of worms.  Constant worrying about money, fighting because of constant worry, ect.  

Maybe this is the reason I have had headaches off and on for a few weeks now.  

02/13/2009

Another quick update:

I have been so busy at work.  This crappy economy makes the social work business boom to say the least.

Here is where I am at this week

1) Currently down 8 pounds since IVF!

And that's pretty much all I have at this point.  Exciting, huh?

02/03/2009

Oh my, it's February already!  My quick goal update for the week is that I have lost two pounds since we came home from vacation, I have re-found my love for yoga, and I still have no idea what I want to do career-wise.   I would have to say that I am doing pretty good!

I have some product raves to share.

#1 is Philosophy's best seller kit.   It is kick ass and for 19.95 every three months I think it's a pretty fantastic deal through Philosophy Direct.   While ordering I threw in Supernatural and Help Me.  My skin looks fantastic even without make up!

#2 Avalon Organics Shampoo.  With my toxic eggs and all I have decided to go with organic shampoo and conditioner.  No sodium laurel sulfate or whatever the hell it is for me.  I was a little worried since I have some crazy hair, but I have nothing but good things to say about this awaphui mango shampoo.

#3 Biggest Loser Weight Loss Yoga.  I have never worked up quite a sweat as I do with this yoga routine.   This is definitely not a routine that you want to do if you are looking for a relaxing workout. 

I think that's all I have for today.  Work is entertaining as usual.  Chris and I may be losing a day of work a week due to the economy which will suck big time.   There goes us trying to save up for things like finishing renovations on the house, vacations, and luckily we talked about waiting until I hit 30 to start the adoption process so we have quite a bit of time there to save.  If we had wanted to start it this year we would be royally F_U_C_K_E_D!  I am seeing a lot of video game playing, walking around the neighborhood and going to Woodland beach in our future if this does happen.  It could be worse.

I ordered a few healthy eating cookbooks that should be in this week so I will be reviewing those once they come in!