I-797 (I171H)... CHECK!!!!

Okay, so I am a completely lame blogger. I know it and have come to terms with this inadequacy.

Today, after much anticipation, mailbox checking, and over-all fretting, our I-797 arrived. It arrived in, as I have many others describe, a completely non-descript envelope. It came with no fanfare, no blaring trumpets, no dancing fawns... yet these are the things I saw and heard when D called me this afternoon.

This is great timing. I needed some good news. Things have been crazy at work and the trips I was expecting to take to Europe were cancelled due to some screw ups that were performed by some of my colleagues when they performed the same equipment upgrades in Korea and India.

Also, D's brother is now going through a divorce. He is pretty devastated. D's been helping with the separation agreement and spewing advice like there is no tomorrow. I really feel badly for D's bro 'cause he is the epitome of a family man who would have done anything to keep his family in tact. It really sucks to see good people hurt so fiercely.

D's Bro, his other bro, and sister are all coming with their families and will be staying with us for a week starting Friday. There will be 6 adults, 5 kids, and 2 little chihuahuas will be in our house. D's Mom, Dad, Grandmother, Aunt, Uncle, and little cousin are all going to be staying in hotels in town. I am so ecstatic D has to do the cooking. I am also glad that I will be working much of this time. I tend to get a little claustrophobic in crowded houses.

On a totally good and completely exciting note, just the other day I got confirmation that my boss, his wife, D and myself will all be travelling to Hawaii at the end of January. The company I work for owns a facility on the North Shore of Oahu, so we are going there for a week to install some equipment. I'm pretty stoked. D and I have rented a small beach house (company's reimbursing because it was the same price as the only local hotel/resort) and a small rental car (not reimbursed). We were also able to get a plane ticket for D for less than $400 (my flight is covered by the company). I feel a little bad about spending the money with all of the adoption fees coming up, but how can anyone refuse an almost free trip. The way we figure it, if we eat cheaply (reimbursed) then we should be able to pull off 9 days in Hawaii for less than $1000.
.... My boss has already spent +$800 because his wife did not want to deal with layovers; to each their own, I guess.
The Bean is a little disappointed that she will not be able to go because she has school, but she is very excited that Grandma (D's Mom) is coming to stay with her for that week.

The other good news that I have lately deals with some of my favorite musicians. Both Jack Johnson and Matt Costa have new albums out in the beginning of the year. Both have also released really great first singles which I have been playing regularly on my iPod. Matt Costa will also be in concert here in Atlanta in the beginning of March.
The Regina Spektor concert was rescheduled, again, for the end of Feb.

So, for many reasons, my winter is shaping up nicely. I think it's deserved (just kidding) after my mostly sucky fall...