Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Update day....again

Well, I have heard lots of rumors but we will see how today goes.  There was a family who was recentlyin Ethiopia and talked to Dr. Tsegaye who runs the program there and he had said they have everything set up to travel group 90 and 91 is almost done.  Hmmm...she was in group 85 or 86 and 87 has been assigned.  Maybe this means we will be lucky and get to hear something this week?  I hope so....

In the meantime....here is a short video that we are sending with another family for Matiyos to watch.  Sky is a bit goofy, but what else is new?


Video not working....will try it later

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Memories...

No news on court yet....I did hear from someone who had a second court date last week that hers had been cancelled until mid-January along with some other cases.  Hopefully this does not mean ours is one of them, but who knows.

Today I am putting my adoption thoughts out of my mind.  Today is a day for other memories.  Today is 15 years.  Today is the worst day of every year.  Sometimes I don't remember today until tomorrow, sometimes it is later in the day that I remember but today I remembered first thing.  Every moment, every second, every action....I remember today as the day that changed everything forever.    I know if today had not happened, I would not have been blessed with my babies and I would not have known David and I WOULD NOT give any of that back.  But today I always wonder what if.... I still remember today like it was yesterday....

Monday, December 21, 2009

Kind of, sort of update...

Well, more people passed court on Wednesday last week, but I think it was only a couple.....odd.  We have not passed court...I think I make that pretty clear in every post that we are still waiting.

I am hoping we will hear something this week....what a wonderful Christmas present that will be!  That is pretty much all I have for an update...We did have alot of snow this weekend....21 inches in 24 hours.  Kids loved it....Jace and Sky were only outside for about a 1/2 hour so we were all in the house for a day.  I think we did a pretty good job at occupying them so that is nice.  Got some cleaning done and some rearranging for the donations to go to Ethiopia....still need to get more but we are working on it!

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Nope, not yet...

7 more families passed court today....that puts us, roughly 9th in line because I know of 2 families who did not pass court this round so that will take a few weeks at least to work out.  9th in line.....want to know the problem with that?  Each Embassy appointment is only for about 10 kids....sometimes 12.  Basically, it could take 1 person adopting siblings and we would be bumped to the next group.  Don't get me wrong, I want everyone to go...but I want to go too!  Yea, I whined.....
I want to be able to be home more with the kids....that way certain people can't call me a bad mother for trying to fund a trip around the world and save money to pay my bills while I am off work.  Ahhh, if only people could work as a team instead of trying to spell it with an 'I'.
More than anything, I just want to know....I don't need to know the date that we are leaving yet, although I am sure that will soon be my next complaint, but I want to know that leaving is imminent so I can tell my kids and we can get ready for our journey as a family no matter what the dynamics are.
It has only been since April since I started all the paperwork and even though that seems like a short amount of time....I did this once before.  Went through almost all of the paperwork and then became pregnant with Skylar.  It wears a person down doing all of this.  Trying to get in order all the things I have to buy....not to mention having to keep track of people "borrowing" from the 1/2 packed suitcase I already have.  Delaney tries to help but it's not like I can send her out to the store and say "buy some laxatives in case we need them over there"  She is good at checking off the list though but there is still so much to buy which isn't easy when your also saving for airline tickets.
In alot of ways I feel like I am totally alone in this....just waiting....

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Yea, still waiting....

I haven't posted in awhile....probably because there is NOTHING to report.  I did talk to my SW yesterday and they expect to hear something soon but she doesn't know if we will hear anything yet.  Travel will probably be late January or early February.  I don't care when, I just want a date!
So that is all on that topic....just waiting and waiting and waiting.

Funny Jace story.....We have 2 new kittens and one of them, Midnight, is Jace's favorite.  He likes to put him in his new "home" whatever that may be at the time...like the cat carrier, his desk drawer...anywhere he will fit.  I was home with him last week helping him and I heard the cat meow.  I said, "Jace, where is your kitty?" and he said he was "in his new home."  I asked him where, expecting to hear the drawer, bathroom something cute and he innocently said, "The refrigerator".  OMG, sure enough, I ran to the kitchen and opened the door and he was sitting next to the milk.  Hysterically funny!!!

Had Delaney's winter concert last night...I can't believe she will be in High School next year!! 

Sky is, well, she is going through the same stuff Jace did so basically one minute you love her and the next minute you wonder if she was switched with someone else at birth!

This weekend is more Christmas shopping...my brother and his wife moved out here last weekend which I am really happy about!  It will be nice to have more adults around to talk to...or any!

Monday, November 30, 2009

A new week....

Today is the start of a new week. People are waiting for travel dates, waiting to pass court and waiting for referrals.....I am hoping and praying that this is the week we hear something. It is one of those so close, yet so far away things.




There is a group in Ethiopia right now picking up their children and hoping to get pictures of others for people who are waiting to go. I hope to get more information on Matiyos when they get back but with so many children there, you never know!




Thanksgiving was good....See my picture below. Thanks Bonnie for the suggestion...I wonder who thinks up these things?????




MMMM....pretty turkey lady!

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

No news is no news

We didn't hear anything yesterday which means we won't hear anything until at least Monday.  Our agency is closed until then.  They deserve the break....if they get 1/2 as many questions as I send them, they are busy!
I'm ready for Turkey day.  I'm excited that we will be home relaxing and doing nothing.  I say that now...let's see how tomorrow goes!  I do have an excellent turkey recipe from Bonnie that could be interesting....lemons and all!  I will have to post a picture if that works out..

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Thanksgiving

Well Thanksgiving is this week and we all have so much to be thankful for!  I am thankful for my family first and foremost.  I am thankful that we have been blessed with our children and our precious Matiyos who will be home soon.  I am thankful that even though Jace and Sky go nuts at least once a day to drive someone up the wall, they are perfectly healthy, smart and oh so adorable.  I am thankful that Delaney is so independent capable, smart and beautiful even though her dad teases her constantly I am thankful she knows how loved she is.  I am thankful for my husband.  Through good and bad we have made it thus far and I love him more than anything.  I am thankful my brother is moving out here, it will be good to have more family around.  I am thankful for my parents support in everything we do. 
I am just friggin thankful for so much and I could go on and on..... 


Adoption news....
There are roughly 18 families ahead of us now waiting to pass court.  Of course in reality, this means nothing because IDK how they process paperwork but I do know that currently there are only 35 families waiting to pass court.  I am hoping they have more pass this week but we will see.  Here is my logic:  It is my friend Dorothy's bday today so what better present to give her then tell her we passed?  Or, for tomorrow if we passed, what an excellent Thanksgiving gift to give our families and friends that we passed.  Trust me, I can find a reason each day as to why it would be a good day to pass court!

In our updated photo, Matiyos' shoulder looked a little odd.  I did find out that he didn't hurt it, it is probably how he is standing. Of course my mother pointed out that it could be from malnutrition as well.  That sucks...I can't wait for him to be here....

I mailed off the Visa applications today so hopefully I will have those back in a week or so.  DAVID BRING HOME THE I864!!!  IDK how many times I have asked but SERIOUSLY?  Still working on donations for the orphanage....need formula and diapers mostly.  David said he would ask people at work and we have a box at my office also.

Have an amazingly HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Friday, November 20, 2009

More good news!

We received an updated photo of Matiyos yesterday.  I can't post it because nothing is finalized but he looks good.  Got another email from the case manager today saying it is possible that he is at Horizon House which, from everything I have heard, is where the kids go after they have passed court as that is where we will stay when we go.  17 kids passed court the other day which I believe was 14 families give or take.  There is probably a slim chance that we could hear more today. I hope so and I hope I hear something.  It is soooooo close and I am going nuts.

Better news....Delaney is going to the fall dance tonight.  I can't believe she is big enough to wear my shoes.  Yesterday she wore my suede knee high boots that have heels.  She looks so grown up!  I am excited to see her in her dress tonight.  She had drama with her dad last night...I had to intervene.  Although I hate the "I can't stand daddy" mode she's in now, I do know it is a precursor to "I can't stand mommy" phase.  You would think I would stay out of the daddy phase knowing my own is coming up!  Ah well, he doesn't understand girls and their dances!

I went to Sky's Turkey day party yesterday at daycare and she had an extremely wild moment where I was like "did you really come out of me?"  Drove me nuts but we are working with Jace and Sky right now....they kind of react off of each other at home, which I knew, I just didn't know she was carrying it to school so now the strict mean mommy is here so rather than give into her last night I got to listen to her scream for 30 minutes.  Breaks my heart but I'd rather that then her misbehaving at school!

That's about it for now....I did just get another message from another AP that if he really is at Horizon House, he has passed court!  Fingers crossed and lots of prayers!

Sunday, November 15, 2009

So ready...But I still need to relax!

Friday did not, to my knowledge bring any new families passing court.  We do know that the first 2 groups that passed will leave November 27th and December 4th.  That is awesome and I am so excited for them!  I absolutely am ready to go.  I have all of Matiyos' things packed and alot of the stuff on the list packed.  Delaney and I received our yellow fever shots yesterday.  She also had to get her HepA shot.  The YF actually hurts when they do it so she had that one first.  After that we pretty much had to grab her and hold her.  I think she was trying to find a way out of it.
As usual I am anxiously waiting news...hopefully soon.  It drives me nuts waiting.  Delaney had a cookie booth today in Westminster so while she is at that I am getting caught up on work stuff, adoption stuff, and stuff for my girl scout troop.  I am doing it at Starbucks...trying to relax a little.  LOVE Dave for keeping the other 2 at home!  He does alot with them lately since I am working the 2 jobs plus helping at school and girl scouts.  I appreciate everything he does and I am sure that there are many nights he is standing over me while I sleep trying to decide if he should strangle me.  :-)

Off to finish getting caught up!  Let's hope for lots of good news this week!

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Sad news

We received an email from the adoption agency today.  2 little girls, and infant and toddler, died.  The infant passed away from malnutrition and the 2 year old toddler from bacterial menengitis.  They were both at the same orphanage as Matiyos which is in Ajuja but everyone there has been tested and is not showing any signs of menengitis.  I am not sure if Matiyos is still there or if he has already been moved to Addis Ababa but I am waiting to hear from our case worker to find out.

I am torn between being thankful and being sad.  I can't imagine any child in this world having to starve or to watch their parents pass away and have nobody.  At the same time, the first thing I thought of was Matiyos and if he was ok.  I have not even met him, but he is already a part of our family.

Hug your kids, love your family and do it like it was the last time.....

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Found out today......32 families ahead of us waiting to pass court! No travel dates yet for those who passed though,,,,,sigh
I feel like it is Christmas once a week now and the excitement ends really quick....except for not having anything to show for it....YET

Update day...

Friday I know of 13 families who passed court...YEAH FOR THEM....by my count, there are 35 families in front of us.  Today is update day so I will be able to find out if more than 13 passed court.  I think this is the first update day since we accepted our referral that I haven't been going nuts waiting for it.  We usually get it between 3-6 so hopefully sooner!

On the homefront....Jace is sick, since yesterday.  Fever between 99-102 but not any higher.  He will be home tomorrow just to make sure it clears up and hopefully doesn't get anyone else sick.  Calen is supposed to be coming tonight.  I had to cancel last night with Jace being sick but now that I am pretty sure it isn't H1N1, I think he will be fine....

Until the update....

Friday, November 6, 2009

People have passed court!!!! Happy day for everyone!!!! There is roughly 50 families ahead of us waiting to travel so we stilll probably won't hear anything until January. That is fine for now o guess... We still have lots to do, including shots....(yes David, THIS weekend), shopping for clothes, meds and toys and ofcourse tons of paperwork..,
Well at least things are moving!

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Supposedly if I text from my phone, it will post online. I hope so as this will come in handy while travelling....

Blogging...yea....

I don't blog....never have so this shall be interesting especially since you couldn't even get me to write an english paper in high school. Well, I guess I have grown up a bit since then.....


Why do a blog? Well, this amazing journey is soon to come to an exciting....not ending but beginning if you will. How we got here was not easy....a long and sometimes bumpy road. BUT, we are here, we made it and were in it together. (OY, cue the Jon and Kate plus 8 music!)

We have been so busy lately getting ready for our little boy to come home and haven't been able to keep up with anything so maybe if I post on here every so often, friends can decide if they want to follow it and know whats going on!

Our referral was accepted October 20th officially...meaning all the monies that needed to be sent are now there! Now we wait to hear that we have passed court.....and wait....and wait. The problem is, Ethiopias new year is September 11th and due to that and the holidays they close for a month or 2. We know they are open now, we know that they have heard other agencies cases or of other agencies having court dates but thus far, nothing for WHFC since the end of August I think. When they first reopened, they had trainings for 2 weeks and now it is just a matter of hearing people have passed.

2 important days, or so I am told.....Tuesdays are the day the weekly updates come out so we can find out if anyone has passed court. Fridays are the days that, from what I have heard, travel emails will be sent out to let people know the date they need to be in country. The only way I would hear about that is if someone on the yahoo groups got one and posted it.



Well, that pretty much brings you up to speed....not really, but I am tired of typing....



Oh wait, on one of the groups I am on, there is a little girl who was adopted and is raising money for her friend who has cancer. What I read last night is that her spinal fluid is inundated with cancer cells and that a miracle is needed. Let's all pray for them because miracles ARE possible! While your at it....hug your little ones a little tighter tonight and don't sweat the small stuff.