All for the sake of the chick

I have one thing to say about the referral: we don't know. It's funny - at any other time during this process, I could have told you within a few weeks where we were. Now, I don't have a frickin' clue. The CCAA might do the rest of April dossiers and all or most of May's this month, which could mean we'd be up in February. But, Chinese New Year is January 29 so February is dicey at best. We'll be lucky if they get through half of May's dossier's next month. Then, I've heard the CCAA is moving in February, so we could be looking at March or April before we get the referral. Yep, the one thing we know is that we just don't know.

Let's talk about something other than the referral, shall we? Something happier and less frustrating. Last night, we finally watched March of the Penguins. It's a beautiful movie about these stalwart penguins living in sub-zero conditions. Each year, they instinctively walk 70 miles to their mating location. If and when the female lays an egg, the female quickly "scoots" it to the male so she can walk the 70 miles back to feed in the ocean. They do this egg transfer in harsh, freezing conditions without hands, opposable thumbs or any appendage other than their feet - and mere seconds outside of their protection could kill the chick inside the egg.

A few months later, the mothers instinctively return to relieve the father so he can make the 70 mile trek for food. The fathers don't eat a bite for several months and lose half their weight before the mothers return. They huddle together, enduring up to 100 mile an hour winds, all to protect the egg. And when the mothers return and the fathers leave to feed, the mothers do the same thing. Everything they do "is for the sake of the chick."

I feel like an emperor penguin. Everything we do is for the sake of our chick. Which I know is normal. But I used to be a lot more multi-dimensional. I swear, I used to have interests other than adoption, China and baby girls. At work, if I read about an event a few months from now, I wonder if we'll even have the referral by then...or be traveling...or maybe, I'll be on maternity. At which point, I begin obsessing on the referral...again. And completely forget what I'm actually working on.

I remember liking gardening and once thought I might take piano lessons. Granted, it's winter - not a big gardening time of year. And I suppose I could take piano lessons...but shouldn't I take Chinese, instead? Aaaack! I am a one trick pony...er, penguin. Everything I do is for the sake of my chick! I need a life!