Still Searching for the "Right" Placement Agency

Hi Y'all,

Just wanted to update everyone as to where we are in the adoption process. This week I made numerous calls to adoption placement agencies. To give you a little background info in case you don't know how it work, here is how it goes. In order to adopt a child you need to have an approved home study. We are about 3/4th done with our home study. We are somewhat at a standstill until we find a placement agency. The agency that we are using for our home study is also a placement agency but they are not taking any more families on their waiting list for Vietnam. Oh yes, it looks like Vietnam will most likely be the country we adopt from. Apparent Lutheran Social Services isn't getting a ton of referrals (babies) from Vietnam and therefore are not putting more families on their waiting list. This is a pain for us because it would be a lot easier to just work with one agency. Plus, there is an inter-agency transfer fee of $750 if we go with another agency. Errr. Anyway, for the last week I've called about 10 different agencies, mostly out of state that do Vietnam adoptions. If they are accepting families they I have requested information packets. Once we get those we will review them and narrow it down from there.

Yesterday I was really annoyed because I spoke to a placement agency in Oregon and the woman on the phone was super nice until I mentioned my disability. She told me she needed to put me on hold and make sure that Vietnam would accept Paraplegics. Ugh! Doesn't she realize how much research we've already done. I just can't help but take that personally. I feel like they think I have some contagious disease that they might even be able to catch over the phone.

I just want to find an agency that is warm and welcoming to us.

We'll keep you posted on the process.

Nothing special planned for this weekend except a movie and dinner out. We really want to see the Daniel Day Lewis movie, There Will Be Blood. I saw him on Oprah yesterday and he seems like such a nice guy. Anyway, that is about it.

Delicious Beef Stew Per Multiple Requests

Nor'easter Beef Stew



2 pounds of Beef Stew meat

> Salt and Pepper to taste

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 large onions, coarsely chopped

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon thyme

2 ounces of tomato paste

2 cups baby carrots, cut into halves

2 teaspoons minced garlic

6 red potatoes, peeled, cut into quarters

2 (15-ounce) cans low-sodium beef broth or consomme

1 cup water

2 tablespoons Chinese black vinegar or Worcesterhire sauce

> parsley for garnish



Season the beef with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a 6-quart pot over the medium heat. Add the beef. Saute for 10 minutes or until browned on all sides. Remove from the pot with a slotted spoon. Add the onions, bay leaves and thyme to the beef drippings. Saute for about 10 minutes or until the onions are tender. Add the tomato paste, carrots, and garlic. Saute over medium-high heat for 3 minutes. Stir in the beef, potatoes, broth, water, and vinegar. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Simmer, covered for 1 1/2 hours or until the beef is fork-tender, stirring occasionally. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Garnish with parsley.

If you like a thicker gravy then use about 2 TBS of cornstarch with water to thicken it.

It really is sooooooooooo good. Bon Appetite.



Serves 4 to 6

Last time I made it, I doubled it and it made almost too much. We've now had it for dinner 3 nights in a row and I'm sick of it by now.