We picked up Ray's Visa

Let me describe the experience. We were notified to be at the Embassy at 8 am to pick up the Visa. So we awoke at 5:30 took a taxi to the Embassy and arrived by 7:30 am. About 150 people we're picking up their Visa's that day, student visa's, tourist visa's, and immigration visa like Ray's. We were all told to wait outside in a particular area with about 10 benches. So about 5 to 6 picked crammed onto each bench but most were left standing. Thankfully we had a spot on a bench. Around 8:30 they called about 40 names from a handwritten list, but not Ray's. We found out a bit later that it's not good to be on the first list because it means the Embassy has reviewed your case and wants something in addition.

So the rest of us were just waiting and waiting in the hot sun. We werent allowed to have any food or water with us, so I was getting parched. Not to mention completely sweaty. After 2 hours, Ray asked me to wait inside the embassy(air conditioning) because they cant turn me away from my own Embassy right? SO I finally decide I dont want to get heat stroke and I go into the Embassy and take a seat in the lovely cool room. I'm only sitting for a couple of minutes when a guard asks me to go to window #1. A nice man at the window asked how he could help me, and I explained I was too hot waiting outside. He said he would get Ray's visa right away. I sat down for another 5 minutes and I was called up to the window again. Everything was ready and he gave me Ray's file, I didnt have any ID on me or anything. And he apologized that I was uncomfortable waiting outside in the heat. Amazing! I walk in and within 10 minutes I have the Visa, while over a hundred Ghanaians are waiting outside for hours on end. Why do they say to be at the Embassy at 8 am and then wait the people wait hours and hours. One guard was saying those people could be waiting all day long.

I touched an alligator!! OK, only with just one finger but hey I touched it! We traveled to Cape Coast for 3 days it was really beautiful. The best part.....the roads were all concrete to increase tourism. We toured Elmina Castle which was built in 1482 by the Portuguese. It was the first trans Atlantic slave castle built. We had a very good tour guide and he explained all the horrendous details of the slaves lives in the castle. We both agreed it was a very good experience but also very disturbing. The Dutch took over the castle, and then the British, Ghana has only had control of the Castle for 52 years.

We also went on a canopy walk over 600 feet above the ground! Two Canadian men built it in the 90's for tourists. Well, I didnt really think about it but to get up to the start of the canopy you've got to hike in the Tropical Rain forest. First off, I was wearing flimsy flip flops, and second it was ridiculously hot. The higher we climbed the hotter it became. The ground is an orange damp clay dirt which I was mastering with my flip flops!!! The path was also filled with large rocks and fire ants. There were about five different times on the hike that fire ants were crossing the path. I've only ever seen that many ants on TV nature programs. When we arrived at the start of the canopy walk I was the very first one to start the walk because I was so hot I figured , the first one to start is going to be the first to get out of the tropical forest. The planks were about 12 inches wide and a netting material went up about 5 feet from the planks. I admit the view was beautiful but it was torturous in the heat. I cant say it was fun but it's definitely something I wont ever forget. I have lots of fun pictures, plus a lot of butt shots of me because Ray was carrying the camera. Afterward we went to Hans Cottage restaurant which was built right in the middle of an alligator swamp. This is where I met my friend the alligator.

Joan, you better be saving some diet coke for me! Or I'll arrive on your doorstep at midnight on the 2nd straight from the airport! I miss you all but most of all my little Savannah! I cant wait to see her again.

I want to come home...NOW!!!

What can I say about Ghana? I think I can say I'm a wimp. I cant stand the heat, the roads, the noise, and so much more!! Too many people all the time!

I made a stupid mistake! I ate some donuts from a street vendor. I dont know what I was thinking! The donuts had been roasting in the hot sun all day percolating all kinds of bacteria. Needless to say I've been sick for the last few days. I couldnt go far from the toilet. The American medicine I brought with me didnt work, wasnt powerful enough. Raymond had to get me some super strength medicine from the pharmacy. I'll not feeling 100% but I feel good enough to leave the apartment. We're going to a movie tonight and tomorrow we'll travel to Cape Coast to see some of the beautiful country.

The roads!!! I will never complain about the roads in Seattle again. The government has tore up miles and miles of roadways to put in a super highway. Ray said the roads have been torn up for over a year. The government only hires a small amount of construction workers and pays them very little. Ray says the workers dont want to work very hard because they hardly get paid anything. In the meantime the Ghanaian drivers have created roads on the side of the construction that seems like we're driving in ditches. Plus there is no traffic lights or stop signs, etc. Accra does have some main concrete roads with lights but the traffic on the roads is TERRIBLE.

The food. I'm so SICK of fried chicken and rice. I havent eaten one vegetable or fruit since I've been here. I'm craving a nice big salad and veggies. Can you believe it? Me craving veggies? I do drink pasteurized juice each day for some fruit.

I feel bad that I'm so crabby about this place. These are Raymond's last few days here so I want him to enjoy them and have good memories. By the end of my stay in Ghana, Ray may not want to come home with me.

I went to Raymond's church last week. It was beyond belief. Nothing you could possibly imagine. The pastor was screaming into the microphone. For the first 15 minutes I kept jumping in my seat each time he shouted. My ears were on fire, I've never seen or heard anything like it. Then the pastor started performing miracles and healing people. It become too much for all of my senses and we had to leave. It took me a couple of hours to recover from the experience. Definitely a different world over here.

Thank you for the kind comments! We are so happy we are going to be together for the rest of ours lives. It's going to be a challenging time getting to know each other but we can handle it. I miss everyone. I had a dream about going into a store and buying a diet Coke, a candy bar, and a lollypop! This is a sure sign I'm ready to come home! Love all.

My Husband is coming home with me!!!!

We are overjoyed! We just came from the embassy and Raymond's visa has been approved!! We pick it up Friday the 28th! I wish you could see our smiling faces! We'll be arriving home late on Sept 2nd. I'm so glad he'll be with me for the flight home. The flight to Ghana was miserable. The entertainment system wasnt working so we had no movies or music for the entire flight!

Raymond is soooooooooooooooo excited to meet Savannah He's talked to her on the phone many times but never met in person. He cant wait!

We are staying in a nice apartment with air conditioning and a nice bathroom. Tomorrow we're taking a trip out of the city to the Central region. It's a big tourist area. The weather is pretty tough, although it's much cooler than my last trip. There is a nice breeze but it's still terribly humid. I'm having some problems with the food as we knew I would. BUT..........last night Raymond took me to a continental restaurant and I had a HUGE cheeseburger! And I had a chocolate milkshake! It's very expensive so we cant eat there every day, but we'll be back to try the pizza next time.

There is a nice movie theater here, which I didnt know about. They were playing Obsessed(Beyonce movie) and Hangover. We watched Hangover, it was pretty funny.

I cant for everyone to meet Raymond. He is so sweet, I know he'll be liked.
We're going out to dinner and to a movie tonight to celebrate Ray's homecoming!!YEAH, YEAH, YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Batter Blaster!!!!!!!!!!!

I thought I found the perfect short cut to making pancakes! Batter Blaster in a can! It's pancake batter in a can like whipped cream. Now, everyone pretty much knows I dont like to cook. I cant stand grocery shopping, planning meals, cooking, and cleaning. Basically everything about cooking makes me tired. I enjoy eating pancakes but never make them. So, this Batter Blaster should be great for me, right? I follow the directions; oil pan, spray batter, and cook on medium high heat. DISASTER!! It took me over half the can of batter to realize that I need to cook the pancakes on medium low. I was exhausted by the time I had a couple of edible cakes. Anyone want to come over for breakfast? Cold cereal is my specialty.

I just returned from the store. I bought every kind of over the counter medication I could think of to take on my trip. Pepto tabs, Imodium, laxatives, gold bond skin screen, lip balm, etc. I also picked up hand sanitiser, which I dont normally like to use but it's a necessity in Ghana with no bathrooms. I bought ramen noodles and some dried soup. Raymond's feelings were hurt when I told him I was bringing some food items with me. He said he's going to cook each and every one of my meals for me with fresh ingredients. I told him I am still bringing some food in case he became tired of cooking. On my last trip, I dont think I became sick from the actual food, but possibly from someone that prepared the food, so no restaurants for me. But what do i do when his Mum cooks a meal for us?

My landlord installed the cat door for me but the cats dont want to use it. I guess if they want to go outside while I'm gone they'll have to figure it out. Buddy is set to go to the kennel, Savannah is set between Grandma and her Dad just need to get her packed. I'm almost ready!

Foster/Adoption

Hi Friends! Friday morning I met with the regional adoption placement coordinator. The next children we have join our family I want to have the good possibility of adopting them. She showed me profiles of lots of children! We're looking at adopting an African American sibling group of 2, ages anywhere between 0-9. There is no timeline for us but I'm thinking they would join us by the end of the year. I'm taking a few of the profiles with me so Raymond and I can talk about them.

Some people have asked me why I didn't want to adopt Juliette. I have several personal reasons that are private. But one reason is purely statistical. Caucasian children are the highest requested race of families choosing to adopt foster children. I knew that Juliette would have several families interested in giving her a forever home. African American children are the least adopted children from the foster system. Plus, as everyone knows I have natural skill in doing their fancy hairdo's!!! I'll never forget the teachers from the preschool laughing and teasing me because I took an African American hair care class, especially Angela. Thanks to a private lesson from Angela my skills improved greatly.

Later in the day Friday, I received a phone call from a CPS worker stating I was under investigation for abuse toward Juliette. I was not surprised since her parents had made multiple complaints about me. The CPS worker asked if she could come to my house that day and meet. I was surprised of the short notice but since I have nothing to hide I made an appointment for her to come over. Geez!! This is only my second complaint in five years, I hear that is a really good record. When the woman arrived at my house Buddy greeted her(BARKING and JUMPING) as usual. She said said she was very allergic to animals so I advised her that we meet outside. With 3 cats and one fuzzy dog, our house in infiltrated by animal hair. Well, we had a very short conversation and she pretty much closed the case. She had to investigate the complaint because the parents made very serious charges against me but she had already visited Juliette at the daycare over a month ago, and took pictures and everything. Needless to say, I'm very glad it turned out to be so simple. The woman didn't even want to do a walk through of my house!

Only 7 more days until my trip! I'm slowly but surely getting prepared for my trip.

Savannah and I went to the Moclips, Wa last weekend, with friends. It's right on the ocean about 30 minutes North of Ocean Shores.

My friend brought her 14 yr old niece, Alyssa, whom Savannah was glued to the entire trip. During the trip I heard Alyssa say several times to Savannah "You sure do ask a lot of questions". I had to laugh! On the trip I made a scrapbook for Juliette to have when she's older. This is the first scrap booking Ive done of any of my past foster kids, much less an album for a child. I was emotionally drained afterward and didn't get much sleep that night.

Juliette's last day with us was on 7/24 and Beatrice's last day was 7/29. They both are now living on Vashon Island, so they may see each other again. I've been enjoying the time with no little ones. I wont take anymore until after I'm back from my trip in September. I'm going to try not to take any kids until after Savannah's birthday in October, but I may not make it that long!! I cant stand the thought of children in harm.

Raymond is counting the hours until I'm in his arms again. He's been fighting a skin infection for about 2 months, and he's also being treated for intestinal worms. His skin isn't getting better because the cost is about $100 per week just for the medication. Since knowing Raymond I've learned about the terrible conditions for people living in Ghana.

Supposedly, no one is refused medical care in Ghana. They have public hospitals and private hospitals, and no Dr's offices. The public hospitals are extremely understaffed because the Dr's do not get paid and they are tired of using sub par medical equipment. Raymond told me it's a death wish to go to a public hospital. He said many people go in with one ailment and die in the hospital of a completely different ailment. The private hospitals are better staffed and better equipped to help patients, but they still severely lack what we are used to here in the states. And of course they are much more expensive because the Dr's can charge whatever they want to charge the patients. Nothing is regulated, and there is no such thing as health insurance. I regularly follow up with the news in Ghana to feel closer to Raymond. The other day I read a story of a terrible car accident on one of the busy highways in Accra, Ghana. It took over an hour for an ambulance to reach the accident and several people had died while waiting. Two people were taken to the nearest hospital which was a private hospital. The hospital refused the patients because they had no assurance of payment. So the ambulance turned around and returned the accident victims to the scene and left. later the two people died on the side of the road while family members were trying to reach them. I can not get this story out of my head, it haunts me that these people would have had a chance at life if they hadn't been refused care. Over a year or so ago, I was speaking to an American from the US Embassy about some medical concerns that were going on with Raymond. The worker was so smug and righteous sounding when he told me no Ghanaians are ever refused health care. Obviously the Americans don't have a clue what the people of Ghana live with. Ghana is only one small country in the world that is in complete poverty. Millions of people live in poverty and it's not their fault. They are born into it and have a very slim chance of escaping to somewhere livable.

I'm happy to report I have a job!! I'll be starting at White Center DSHS on Sept 16Th, M-F 8-5pm, as a Financial Services Specialist. This is the perfect job for me! I still get to work with clients and families, and I still get to work with finances. I am grateful and blessed to have gotten this job! I've been told it's really difficult to get hired by the state. Plus, they have not hired for this positions in over two years, so the timing was just perfect for me.

I'm hoping to buy a townhouse in the Delridge or Highland Park area by the end of the year. And if Raymond comes home with me in August, that will be the icing on the cake!! I'm planning on updating the blog while I'm in Ghana, so you'll know if Ray gets his visa or not.I miss you all!