As I write this, Lisa and I are preparing to travel about 2 hours away to attend a Hatfield reunion. Now, by birth, I am not a member of this clan, but I am a “married in” member since Lisa’s mom, Janet, is a true-blood Hatfield. Now, the reunion isn’t every Hatfield in the nation…or even the state. It is just the many members of Janet’s immediate family. Still, for an only-child like myself who grew up alone without brothers or sisters, a large family gathering where I can be involved is just a wonderful experience. I will inform you more about it in next week’s issue!
It seems that the heat of summer is finally starting to get here. I didn’t think that it would ever arrive. Only a few days ago, I was complaining that it would never get hot this summer. Yesterday, Lisa and I went to Jackson to do some shopping for Janet. Well, of course, it was an oven outside! I felt like I was in a sauna…which isn’t a good thing! I started to complain about the heat. Of course, that just goes to show, that if we aren’t complaining about one thing then we are complaining about something else. LOL!
We have been out of school for about three weeks now. It seems that all Lisa and I have done is run the roads! We have gone to Gatlinburg, traveled the Smokies, gone to visit our friends in Morehead several times, and have taken many trips to play bingo or to Belterra. We are getting ready to go to the Atlanta Aquarium and to Florida in a few weeks. I am really looking forward to seeing the aquarium in Atlanta. It is supposed to be really something! I’ll be sure to take lots of photos and post them on my Class Action blog. You can read my online version of Class Action at www.classactionarticle.blogspot.com .
Speaking of my blog, I tried my hand at podcasting the other day. In case you don’t know what a podcast is, I will try to explain. A “podcast” is a buzzword to describe a very simple concept: an audio or video file available on the Internet for you to listen to and/or watch. A podcast can also refer to a series of these audio or video files (similar to how a TV or radio “show” can be a series of shows or just one show). When using the word “podcast”, most people refer to the entire series and not just one audio or video file.
Break PODCAST down into two parts. First the POD: you can either listen to a podcast on your computer or transfer it to your portable audio/video device, which means that file is Portable, and it’s On-Demand because you can listen to or watch it when you want, where you want. The CAST means the file is sent out to you over the Internet, in the way a “broadcast” comes to you over the radio or TV airwaves. But instead of using a radio or TV, with podcasts you use a computer connected to the Internet, and on that computer you have a program that allows you to subscribe to, manage, and listen to or watch your favorite podcasts.
I have to say that my first podcast isn’t anything remarkable. It is just me, yak yak yak, with three of my favorite songs thrown in for good measure. But…for my very first podcast, it wasn’t that bad. I posted it on my blog. If you want to listen to it…and future podcasts…please visit my blog at www.classactionarticle.blogspot.com .
Moving on to another topic, Lisa and I are now number 189 on the adoption list! We are so excited to be moving down the list. We started out at 252 about 5 months ago. It seems like we have been working on this adoption forever, but it will be worth it when we bring little Jacob Bryson Fugate home. I only hope that things continue to work out between the two countries. In case you didn’t know, there have been some grumblings between the United States and Vietnam. However, the president of Vietnam is visiting the United States this month. I hope that they are able to work out an understanding so that the adoptions can continue without a needless delay.
Lisa and I have been working with the Joint Council on International Children’s Services in order to contact our members of Congress so that they will support A Child’s Right Campaign for Vietnam. We have been pushing this campaign because it supports:
• Recognizing the benefit of permanency services for orphaned, abandoned and vulnerable children of Vietnam, including family preservation, domestic and intercountry adoption and other child welfare services
• Recognizing that for permanency services to continue without interruption, a bilateral agreement between the Vietnam and United States governments must be negotiated and in effect prior to September 1, 2008
• Recognizing that the provision of services must be designed and implemented to serve the best interest of children and not create orphans or encourage abandonment or relinquishment
• Recognizing that child protection systems must effectively ensure that children and families are free from trafficking, corruption and abuse
• Memorandum of Agreement An interim Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) will be negotiated and signed with an effective date of September 1, 2008, and will remain in force until the Hague Convention is in full force in Vietnam.
Hopefully, everything will work out just fine. Keep us in your thoughts and prayers! We appreciate all of the support that we have been receiving from our friends and family as we work to create our forever family. Thanks everyone! If you want to read more about our adoption process, you can visit our adoption blog online at alonzofugate.blogspot.com .
Well, it is just about time to roll out the door and make our way to the Hatfield reunion. Perhaps next year at this time, I will be writing about taking Jacob Bryson Fugate to his very first encounter with the Hatfield clan…only time will tell. Have a good week everyone. Until next week….class dismissed!
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