Where does the time go?

Hard to believe almost a week has gone by since my last post! Thanks again to all of you who posted comments.

Had a fun weekend so far. Went for a pretty 5.5 mile walk around a local reservoir. Toward the end of the hike, we took a wrong turn and got caught in a blizzard - but within 20 minutes, it was sunny and beautiful again. That's what they say about the weather here - give it 10 minutes and it'll change. So true...

Later, we went to see "The Social Network." Interesting and entertaining...

Last week was one of the longest, shortest weeks ever. We had Monday off, but it felt like an eight-day workweek.

In addition to all my regular day-to-day and monthly routine work, I had two major projects to manage. Every quarter, I do all the preparation around a call our CEO does with our advisors. Each call requires me to assemble the executive team (a small feat in itself) to agree on the agenda topics, create a slide show around the talking points, have my CEO rip it apart several times and build it back up, coordinate all the logistics - telephone lines, invites, multiple announcements and reminders to invitees, etc. In a nutshell, each call is a major undertaking.

I also had to manage a project to roll out a referral bonus program to our field within 2 of our divisions. Since each division runs a little differently, the logistics were different for each. Coordinating tasks and people is often like herding cats. Fortunately, so far, it's gone off without a hitch.

Between these two projects, there was a major mailing done at work to about 50,000 clients. Whomever did the mailing, messed up royally - some letters listed the wrong advisor completely and all the letters listed the advisor's home contact information instead of their office - so they were getting calls all weekend. As you might imagine, they were quite upset and we certainly heard about it Tuesday morning. This was the second major mailing that this group had a major error on in three months (only this time, it's costing us much more because I think we're going to have to offer credit monitoring to everyone). Since I am the "go to" girl when screw-ups like this happen, I was pulled in to do some  of the "fix it" work.

On one hand, I am glad that I am considered valuable to the company, but on the other hand, I am still one person and can't do it all.

OK - I am finished standing on my soapbox for awhile...

In other news, the relative I mentioned a few weeks ago has been moved to a hospice facility and is hours to days away from dying - so I am headed to the northeast tomorrow to spend a week to say my "goodbyes" and, depending on the timing, attend the funeral. Hope it warms up...

As for the adoption, things are moving forward at a rapid pace. I ordered copies of the book last week and they should arrive on Friday! Our coordinator called and set up our first home study for February 5th. I am not sure how soon after this meeting she can start showing our profile book, but I hope it's soon.

We also attended another week of foster care training. This was actually the best week yet. They showed us a video of two older kids who grew up in the system and it actually has me almost reconsidering if we should consider a foster child. (I'm not 100% convinced - so don't jump to any conclusions yet).

One girl was almost 18 and was about to age out of the system. After hearing how foster care saved the life of her and her sisters, it was an inspiring story. She seems like a responsible, well-adjusted young lady whom, I have confidence, will go on to have a successful adulthood. The second guy told a story of how his birth parents basically abandoned him and he ended up in a foster group home (a home where the parents have had special training and foster many kids at the same time). It was made very clear to him that he was only there for the paycheck and he was on his own after he turned 18. Shortly after his 18th birthday, he had an accident where he cut his leg and needed stitches. Since he didn't have anyone to turn to and knew he couldn't afford an ambulance, he walked a couple miles back to his former foster dad's home and asked for a ride to the hospital. His former foster dad told him how it would have been too much trouble to load all 9 children into the van to take him to the hospital - so the kid quickly realized he didn't have anyone he could depend on. In the end, he graduated college and now works as an IT administrator for the United Way. It was a very inspiring story. I can't even begin to imagine how my life would have been so different if I didn't have family to depend upon. I also know that me and my husband could provide a stable, long-term family.

On the IVF front, my AF surprised me with an early appearance. Therefore, I need to be back here on Friday to go in for an U/S. If my lining is less than 7mm, they will set me up on a new calendar with a tentative transfer in very late February / early March. If it's not, I get a "bonus" D&C and get to wait 3 more months.

Ahh...the trials and tribulations...