Happy 8 month LID to Me!

Honestly, it doesn't seem possible that I have been waiting for 8 months. I know I said this last month, but when I began I was told to expect a 12-14 month wait. Later they extended it to 16 months and even then I could still conceptualize it. Now....I have no freakin' idea. They have been talking of a speed up after the new year, but even if they start processing 15 LID each month that still puts me at 2 years. Even if I hadn't learned it before this adoption, certain things are just out of my hands and no amount of stressing, yelling or hair pulling is going to make any difference.

My day was going really well until I got home. I received a statement from 5th3rd Bank (what a dumb name for a bank) saying that I was being fined a $33 overdraft fee. I got online and looked into my account and even with the overdraft fee I still had nearly $100 in my account. What the heck? I called the 800 number that linked me to somebody somewhere in the world (why I can't I just call the bank and have them deal with it...can you tell I'm feeling pissy?) and she attempted to explain how I can be fined even though I had the money in my account prior to my mortgage payment and still had money in my account following the withdrawal. Anyway, I waited until she said she would waive the fee before telling her what I think of her bank and then I told her I was going to look into having my accounts moved to my local bank. She then proceeded to tell me that they all do business the same way. I was quick to tell her that I have had several loans with my local bank and have NEVER had mysterious fees applied to my account and have never had any communication issues with them. I then called my local bank (whom I have my checking account and have had 2 car loans with) to see what it would take to get it transferred. I hope I can afford it because I'm tired of all of these crazy add-on fees that were never discussed when I opened my mortgage account. Trust me, I went through my documents with a fine tooth comb before I signed and after the first time 5th3rd tried to screw me with a bogus add-on fee. Arrghh. I need to take a walk before my head pops.

If that wasn't frustrating enough I began reading my new Adoption Today magazine and one of the guest columns was written by a rep from an adoption agency here in the states making predictions about international adoptions. She anticipates that they will dry up considerably forcing parents to look in other areas. Ok, I really didn't need to hear that either. I think it is very frustrating that single women in this country aren't able to adopt infants in their own country. I was told by my SW that international adoption was the only way for a single woman to adopt because no birth mother in the US would choose to put her child with another single parent. Unless I was open to being a foster parent or adopting a special needs child I was not going to be able to adopt. With China closing the door to singles that leaves so few countries in which we can adopt. I'm actually not frustrated with the wait, not today anyway, but I am irritated that adoption options are getting fewer and fewer. What are you supposed to do when you have all this love and no one to give it to?