HAPPY NEW YEAR!

It's the start of the Year of the Ox.

I started the day by phoning WAG (Welsh Assembly Government) I spoke to the lady who I dealt with when they checked Alice's dossier in 2005. She has a new No1 fan, me! She was so helpful, friendly, informative, relaxed, positive and best of all I DON'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE DCSF!! She talked me through a lot of the mysteries of the Thai process (I can't 'say' often enough how different this process is and most of the difference isn't due to a different country but paperwork for the local bits!) She clarified many of my doubts over different bits of paperwork and forwarded a new fact sheet that is more constructive than most of the others that I've read. The other HUGE advantage of WAG checking my dossier is that it's quicker, significantly quicker and much less stressful as I can ring DJ whenever I need help or guidance or want to check progress. It's a huge relief to me!

Shortly after the phone call we got in the car to go to A'g. The first track playing was 'One Elephant Went Out To Play' - as Pandas are Alice's symbolic animal, Elephants are for Little Sis, this track was all I needed to confirm all the good news of the morning, my eyes leaked a little at the thought of the reassurance and support coming through at a time when I was beginning to feel overwhelmed and lost.

Then we went to soft play (where we were meeting D and A), we got there just after it opened so it was a little chilly, 5 minutes later I realised that one of my feet was cold, then I realised my sock was wet and finally I realised that I was standing in a puddle of u*rine - I could have stayed at home with Pud and managed that! So for the rest of the morning I had bare, cold feet but Alice had a super time - she's more independent and is even coming down the wavy slide on her tummy (or 'tummin' as she would say), she really is an adrenaline junky!

Having clarified some point with Deb (lovely lady at WAG - who also said that adoption dossiers were a priority, hurray!!) I was able to complete some more paperwork for my LA - another set of photos (as they've mislaid the first set!) and pay the final installment of the home study bill, I delivered all that and dashed round A'g while the Magnificent T was at home with Alice.

Small steps towards my final goal, but very significant ones, in 24 hours this journey has taken a major change, one that I'm exceedingly appreciative of and one that I was in need of, a very positive day and I feel so much better for it.