What a week

It really feels like it has been such a huge week, and I guess it has.

The earthquake in Christchurch really has the whole country shook up.  So many lives lost, so many more missing.  It is, indeed, a tragedy of huge proportions for a country our size.  For those of us not in the same island, we are left feeling helpless.  But I know that this is, by far and away, is a much better feeling than what the poor souls in Chch are feeling, homeless, waterless, foodless, clotheless, and having lost loved ones.  Thankfully I have been able to locate all of my friends, bar one, from Chch, and the one that is still 'missing' is just not a huge user of FB anyway (my only way of contacting her), plus they may not have power etc, so my prayers are that she and her family are fine.  The company I work for is the largest in NZ, and they have donated $1mil, plus they will match employees donations dollar for dollar up to a further $1mil, which I think is fabulous.  Obviously I am donating through them as my funds allow.

The reality of it all hit home when a lady at work posted on the intranet that her daughter, daughters partner and their 3 week old baby had arrived at her place with nothing but the clothes on their backs.  Their jobs no longer exist, neither does their house.  So I have donated a large box of my clothes, plus the baby clothes my sister passed onto me in the hopes that we, one day, have a baby.   I hope the clothes I donated were suitable.  I tried to ensure that they were of great quality, but I did not know the sizes required.  At least they can pass on any unsuitable ones.

During this time TJL and I were supposed to be doing the BD.  TJL does not perform well under pressure, so we managed 2 out of 4 days.  Good enough, I hope.  Of course, I have had a bit of an upset stomach, and being an infertile, I'm thinking, hey, maybe thats a sign that THIS MONTH it worked.  Or it could just be a reaction to the tablets I took.

I also spent 2 of my 4 work days NOT SPEAKING!  These are 12 HOUR DAYS.  It was TOUGH!  I am a talker, and that's no lie.  It was with the aim of raising money for NZ Cancer Society (Relay for Life).  The first day a colleague did it with me, friday I was on my own.  I think we raised about $150.00, which shows you how much people want me to be quieter at work ... lol   It actually drove a few people nuts at work, made the day boring and slow without my chit-chat and joking around.  I just might be a bit loud.  And it is amazing how people start 'signing' back to you, even though they were allowed to speak.  And it really gave perspective on how hard it would be to be someone who can't communicate with everyone else.

Finally, we received information on the adoption process.  It will cost us around $57,000.00 to which TJL hardly battered an eyelid - GREAT SIGN!  Plus we would have to get married, hopefully will be the push TJL needs to get a move on in that department.  In April we have a two hour introduction seminar, and if we are still keen we will have 3 full day seminars in May-June.  These dates fit in perfectly with when the cows will have dried off, and TJL will be free all day, so I am stoked, AGAIN, that things appear to be working in our favour.  I am slightly worried how TJL will cope with full day seminars (even the two hour one).  School wasn't his strong point, apparently.  Luckily it was mine, so between the two of us we should be able to get through it.  I am looking forward and I am pleased that, for once, they don't seem to be occurring too far away in the future.

So life is good, moving forward at a nice pace, and we like that!