Ugh. Tonight we got a phone call from the "warranty department" telling me that the warranty on our van was set to expire today. First, the chick started to say the wrong vehicle, a Honda instead of a Toyota. I said, "What vehicle?" and she corrected herself.
Then she told me that they've been sending us notices in the mail that the factory warranty was going to expire, but we hadn't responded so that was why she was calling.
I said we'd received no such notices, and she started to get irritated with me. She said they'd been sending them to *the numbers of my street address* but didn't mention the street name.
Again, I asked which warranty this was, and again, she was snippy.
I said there was no way the warranty was expired. She argued that it was.
I told her we'd just bought the van 2 months ago. She said something else, and I repeated myself.
Then, abruptly, the phone disconnected.
Things like that really tick me off. Sure, I didn't fall for whatever scam she was trying to pull, but what if the next person does? It's just wrong. That woman had no right to call my home at 7pm while I'm reading to my daughter and harass me and lie to me.
What types of scams have people tried to pull on you?
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Monday, November 2, 2009
Oops
Today A and I realized that R thinks she's going to go LIVE with my parents when her baby sister comes home. (Not just stay with them for a week while we go to get E.)
She's excited about it.
Oops. My poor little sweetie.
So I guess we need to work on talking to her about how there will be 4 in our family and that she'll come home when momma and daddy come home with E...
Suggestions?
She's excited about it.
Oops. My poor little sweetie.
So I guess we need to work on talking to her about how there will be 4 in our family and that she'll come home when momma and daddy come home with E...
Suggestions?
Sunday, November 1, 2009
November is...
... a great month to pass court!
That's what I'm hoping for. A court date. Soon. Passage on the first try. Pleeeease!
November also is Adoption Awareness Month.
What type of things do you do to celebrate adoption?
(PS-- Adorable pictures of R as a cupcake coming soon. My laptop hard drive is completely full, so I literally cannot download one more picture on it. I am going to try to upload them at work and add them from there. Brace yourself for cuteness. That's all I can say.)
That's what I'm hoping for. A court date. Soon. Passage on the first try. Pleeeease!
November also is Adoption Awareness Month.
What type of things do you do to celebrate adoption?
(PS-- Adorable pictures of R as a cupcake coming soon. My laptop hard drive is completely full, so I literally cannot download one more picture on it. I am going to try to upload them at work and add them from there. Brace yourself for cuteness. That's all I can say.)
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
History
(I'll respond to my getting "tagged" and more about the baby book probably tomorrow. Other stuff on my mind tonight.)
History.
We all have one.
In the case of my two daughters, they have a common history. They are (or will be) adopted. They are from Ethiopia. They have A and me for parents. They are Ethiopian Americans being raised by white parents. Etc.
However, how my girls come to our family is different. In R's case, she was referred to us at 3 weeks and home with us when she was little over 3 months old. Most of the time, when I think of her history, it is with us. All but 3 weeks of her life, I knew she existed and loved her. Even though we weren't together her entire life, her history includes her momma's love almost immediately.
E, on the other hand, her history's different. Depending on when we pass court and travel (I'm hoping for around Christmastime but am not holding my breath), she'll be close to a year old. A year of her life that I will know almost nothing about. And her history is... well, without going into detail you and I both know I can't share, her story involves more loss and grief than R's does.
I have three pictures of E. Three. That's it. I've never held her in my arms, kissed her sweet cheeks, or sung her to sleep. But in one of the pictures especially, this momma sees a scared little girl. A sad little girl. In all three, I see MY little girl.
My little girl who has dealt with loss. Uncertainty. Grief. Pain. Sadness.
So, my questions for you are these:
How do you cope with your children's histories? How do you come to terms with that time when you and your child were/are apart?
History.
We all have one.
In the case of my two daughters, they have a common history. They are (or will be) adopted. They are from Ethiopia. They have A and me for parents. They are Ethiopian Americans being raised by white parents. Etc.
However, how my girls come to our family is different. In R's case, she was referred to us at 3 weeks and home with us when she was little over 3 months old. Most of the time, when I think of her history, it is with us. All but 3 weeks of her life, I knew she existed and loved her. Even though we weren't together her entire life, her history includes her momma's love almost immediately.
E, on the other hand, her history's different. Depending on when we pass court and travel (I'm hoping for around Christmastime but am not holding my breath), she'll be close to a year old. A year of her life that I will know almost nothing about. And her history is... well, without going into detail you and I both know I can't share, her story involves more loss and grief than R's does.
I have three pictures of E. Three. That's it. I've never held her in my arms, kissed her sweet cheeks, or sung her to sleep. But in one of the pictures especially, this momma sees a scared little girl. A sad little girl. In all three, I see MY little girl.
My little girl who has dealt with loss. Uncertainty. Grief. Pain. Sadness.
So, my questions for you are these:
How do you cope with your children's histories? How do you come to terms with that time when you and your child were/are apart?
Monday, October 26, 2009
It's been one week...
... since we became the parents of two! In that time, we've opened our hearts to a beautiful baby, Baby T, our sweet little girl who we've prayed for. Could I be anymore blessed?
The waiting, it's painful, so painful. I try to steel myself against it, but it catches me at unexpected times, my eyes suddenly filling with tears and my chest tightening in a way only other waiting mommas can understand. I can't bear to think of her in pain or sick or in need of anything.
In this week, we've received all her paperwork and information. There is not much, but it is enough for us. We've talked to our international adoption specialist, and she's given us her opinion. We've shared our good news with our family and friends. We've stared at her pictures for hours. We've prepared R even more for being a big sister.
We've signed and notarized many a form and sent them all to our agency.
And now, we wait some more.
Wait
Wait
Wait
For a court date, for a travel date, for a gotcha date.
My heart is 7,000 miles away, stolen by a precious baby girl who has no idea I'm her momma.
Please, little one, hurry home.
The waiting, it's painful, so painful. I try to steel myself against it, but it catches me at unexpected times, my eyes suddenly filling with tears and my chest tightening in a way only other waiting mommas can understand. I can't bear to think of her in pain or sick or in need of anything.
In this week, we've received all her paperwork and information. There is not much, but it is enough for us. We've talked to our international adoption specialist, and she's given us her opinion. We've shared our good news with our family and friends. We've stared at her pictures for hours. We've prepared R even more for being a big sister.
We've signed and notarized many a form and sent them all to our agency.
And now, we wait some more.
Wait
Wait
Wait
For a court date, for a travel date, for a gotcha date.
My heart is 7,000 miles away, stolen by a precious baby girl who has no idea I'm her momma.
Please, little one, hurry home.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
The Perfect (adoption) Baby Book
I'm a history lover, a scrapbooker, and a writer. When we brought R home, I, of course, wanted a baby book for her. The problem? Baby books for bio kids abound, but I had trouble finding something perfect for my adopted princess. The last thing I wanted was something that would have a bunch of blanks or fail to accurately record HER history, her story! Finally, I found the perfect book:
I was thrilled to find this book and did my best to record as much information as possible for R as the months of waiting for her and then the time after she came home passed.
So, last week, after we got our referral and sweet E was suddenly a reality instead of a dream, I went looking (online) for this book again. To my dismay, I couldn't find it. Out of stock everywhere. Or I could purchase it for a mere $124 off Amazon. (The book retails new for $16.95.)
I was distressed. The book was the perfect one the last time around, and I didn't want to have to try to find a new one. But I didn't want to pay over 100 dollars for something that should be less than $20.
Today, as R napped upstairs, I searched the Internet. Finally, I found it! I actually bought 2 copies, one for me and one for a friend whose daughter is also currently at HH playing with E, I'm sure! I can't wait to get it.
Am I silly? Probably. But filling in this book, R's story, our life before her and after she came home, and her life both before and after us, was important to me. It's important for me that baby E also gets this history. If my house were on fire, I'd grab that book, my wedding album(s), and my grandparents' wedding album.
(In case you were wondering, no I'm not getting paid to advertise this book or anything like that. Just what's going on at my house on a Sunday afternoon while the princess sleeps!)
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
THE CALL (Y'all want details?)
Setting: Monday, October 19, 2009: 2:51pm. In my office at work. Suddenly, the phone rings. THE ring. The crazy one I had just the night before programmed into my phone so I could stop being so jumpy whenever the cell phone went off.
Caller ID: It's our case manager!!! Hands start shaking. Brief surprise that the phone actually works in my cement block, no window cave.
Me: Hello!?!?!
J: Hi, M, this is J from *our agency,* is this a good time to talk?
M: I had a feeling you might call today. (Nervous laugh and now the tears are flowing.)
J: She laughs. It's a good day! I have a little girl to tell you about.
At this point, I'm dashing upstairs to my friend H's classroom so she can be there. If A isn't with me, I want her there.
J starts to give me details as I sprint down the hall. I ask her to wait a second as I make it to H's room, gasp her name, and say "PAPER!." I kick some kids out of the workroom between H and another teacher's classroom and sit down.
I'm shaking so much I cannot write as J begins talking again. Tears are all over my face, and H eventually gets me a tissue or 5.
J tells me her name. Starts with a T, and I've never heard it before. She spells it for me, but I can't grasp it and spell it wrong. No matter. I learn MY DAUGHTER is 8 months old on paper, but she's small, very small, and if that is the case, she's most likely a bit behind what most children can do at 8 months. If she 8 months, she's most likely been malnourished for at least part of that time. The HH doctor thinks she's probably more like 4-6 months instead.
She is from the southern part of ET and came to HH on Oct. 12. She looks like other ET children I've met from that area. R is from the north, and so they both look Ethiopian, very much so, but in different ways. The eyes, they're beautiful. I see her spirit in them. She's tiny but strong. I so wish I could share her picture with you. Obviously, not yet. But I hope soon.
Blood work results came back on the 16th, and she's good to go. She has pink eye, and they're giving her drops. Her sweet head is shaved because she has fungus (very common, I'm guessing ringworm) on it. She had diarrhea when she arrived but is better now. She has a bad cold, but she's doing fine. She's 12 pounds. (That's how much R weighed when she came home at 3 months, so I know how small she is.) She's cutting a tooth and trying to roll over on her own. J says she can't sit on her own, but in one of the 3 pictures we have, she is clearly sitting up.
She makes eye contact and is very alert. She's perfect.
I call my husband. He says, "and why are there no pictures in my inbox?" J was sending them right then.
By then, it is 3:05, and the students are dismissed at 3:10 so I tell him I'll call him back when H's room clears out.
I text a few people. I can only get out the word "Referral" as my hands are still shaking. A lot. (My dad calls A and ask him what that means. He tells him it means he has 2 granddaughters now.)
I call A back. We look at the pictures together, over the phone, just like with R. Her daddy is speechless. He's in love with her.
She's our girl. Our sweet, tiny, miracle of a girl. Our baby E! Her big sister is so proud that she had to bring her own copies of the 3 pictures we received with her to my friend M's house today (she's there when I'm at work).
She's older than I had imagined her to be, and we got our referral in less than 1/2 the time we thought we would. When we got on the list in May, we were told the wait for a girl referral was 10 to 12 months and that it was slowing down. It's been 5 months.
So, my girls (if we keep her birthdate as is-- will decide later) are 15 months apart instead of at least two years like A and I had meticulously planned. (Sweet, she was born when I was still 29!!) But she's our girl, and I hope that my sweet daughters will love being so close in age.
And again, this is a lesson that we cannot put our timelines on adoption. With both, we've been completely wrong about timeframes.
That's it. :)
Caller ID: It's our case manager!!! Hands start shaking. Brief surprise that the phone actually works in my cement block, no window cave.
Me: Hello!?!?!
J: Hi, M, this is J from *our agency,* is this a good time to talk?
M: I had a feeling you might call today. (Nervous laugh and now the tears are flowing.)
J: She laughs. It's a good day! I have a little girl to tell you about.
At this point, I'm dashing upstairs to my friend H's classroom so she can be there. If A isn't with me, I want her there.
J starts to give me details as I sprint down the hall. I ask her to wait a second as I make it to H's room, gasp her name, and say "PAPER!." I kick some kids out of the workroom between H and another teacher's classroom and sit down.
I'm shaking so much I cannot write as J begins talking again. Tears are all over my face, and H eventually gets me a tissue or 5.
J tells me her name. Starts with a T, and I've never heard it before. She spells it for me, but I can't grasp it and spell it wrong. No matter. I learn MY DAUGHTER is 8 months old on paper, but she's small, very small, and if that is the case, she's most likely a bit behind what most children can do at 8 months. If she 8 months, she's most likely been malnourished for at least part of that time. The HH doctor thinks she's probably more like 4-6 months instead.
She is from the southern part of ET and came to HH on Oct. 12. She looks like other ET children I've met from that area. R is from the north, and so they both look Ethiopian, very much so, but in different ways. The eyes, they're beautiful. I see her spirit in them. She's tiny but strong. I so wish I could share her picture with you. Obviously, not yet. But I hope soon.
Blood work results came back on the 16th, and she's good to go. She has pink eye, and they're giving her drops. Her sweet head is shaved because she has fungus (very common, I'm guessing ringworm) on it. She had diarrhea when she arrived but is better now. She has a bad cold, but she's doing fine. She's 12 pounds. (That's how much R weighed when she came home at 3 months, so I know how small she is.) She's cutting a tooth and trying to roll over on her own. J says she can't sit on her own, but in one of the 3 pictures we have, she is clearly sitting up.
She makes eye contact and is very alert. She's perfect.
I call my husband. He says, "and why are there no pictures in my inbox?" J was sending them right then.
By then, it is 3:05, and the students are dismissed at 3:10 so I tell him I'll call him back when H's room clears out.
I text a few people. I can only get out the word "Referral" as my hands are still shaking. A lot. (My dad calls A and ask him what that means. He tells him it means he has 2 granddaughters now.)
I call A back. We look at the pictures together, over the phone, just like with R. Her daddy is speechless. He's in love with her.
She's our girl. Our sweet, tiny, miracle of a girl. Our baby E! Her big sister is so proud that she had to bring her own copies of the 3 pictures we received with her to my friend M's house today (she's there when I'm at work).
She's older than I had imagined her to be, and we got our referral in less than 1/2 the time we thought we would. When we got on the list in May, we were told the wait for a girl referral was 10 to 12 months and that it was slowing down. It's been 5 months.
So, my girls (if we keep her birthdate as is-- will decide later) are 15 months apart instead of at least two years like A and I had meticulously planned. (Sweet, she was born when I was still 29!!) But she's our girl, and I hope that my sweet daughters will love being so close in age.
And again, this is a lesson that we cannot put our timelines on adoption. With both, we've been completely wrong about timeframes.
That's it. :)
Monday, October 19, 2009
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Alma Mater
A, R, and I went to my alma mater to visit my sweet cousin, C, for the night. We arrived yesterday afternoon and got back this evening. It was, ironically, homecoming weekend, so it was very crowded. We hadn't planned specifically for homecoming. Just this weekend in Oct., we always have Friday off.
We were lucky to get a hotel room when I bothered to check online for hotels... Everything was sold out, my first clue that perhaps it was a special-event weekend. I played dumb and called the hotel we usually use. And we were in luck because they had a last-minute cancellation!
It is always nice to visit C, and I love returning to a place I spent 4 years of my life. We did some of my favorites and visited some of my favorite places. She's living in the same apartment/condo complex I lived in my junior year. Weird, as my unit--904-- was right across from hers, and we used to spend a lot of time in her building at our friends' place.
And most importantly, I got to have a burrito from my favorite Uptown street vendor! I brought a couple home to enjoy in the winter as well as a few for my friend M.
Overall, it was a great way to distract me yesterday from the suspense of my post below. And I won't even mention how terrible two-y my child has been the past 2 days...
Go Bobcats!
We were lucky to get a hotel room when I bothered to check online for hotels... Everything was sold out, my first clue that perhaps it was a special-event weekend. I played dumb and called the hotel we usually use. And we were in luck because they had a last-minute cancellation!
It is always nice to visit C, and I love returning to a place I spent 4 years of my life. We did some of my favorites and visited some of my favorite places. She's living in the same apartment/condo complex I lived in my junior year. Weird, as my unit--904-- was right across from hers, and we used to spend a lot of time in her building at our friends' place.
And most importantly, I got to have a burrito from my favorite Uptown street vendor! I brought a couple home to enjoy in the winter as well as a few for my friend M.
Overall, it was a great way to distract me yesterday from the suspense of my post below. And I won't even mention how terrible two-y my child has been the past 2 days...
Go Bobcats!
Thursday, October 15, 2009
The Suspense...
... is killing me!
Let's just say, for example, that there's been a lot of movement on the infamous list in the past week and a half.
Let's just say, for example, that we are now a very good number, you know, hypothetically speaking.
If this keeps up, by the time we do in fact get THE call, I'll have gone crazy and therefore will not be able to adopt anyway! Because I'll be nuts. I mean, more nuts than I feel right now.
AUUGGH!
Let's just say, for example, that there's been a lot of movement on the infamous list in the past week and a half.
Let's just say, for example, that we are now a very good number, you know, hypothetically speaking.
If this keeps up, by the time we do in fact get THE call, I'll have gone crazy and therefore will not be able to adopt anyway! Because I'll be nuts. I mean, more nuts than I feel right now.
AUUGGH!
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
ET Courts are Open!
A family using my agency passed court today. That's great for them!
And, of course, if I'm being a tad bit selfish, great for us, too. Because that means movement. That means more children uniting with their forever families and more beds open at my agency's home in ET. Which means we inch, day by day, closer and closer to meeting our daughter.
I am certain now that she's born and out there, making her way to us. With her big eyes and her courage, just like her sister.
Have I ever mentioned R is the bravest child I've ever known? I'm so blessed to be her momma and soon the momma of two ET girls. God is good.
Speaking of R, I'm home with her today. She's sick, the poor little curly fry. I took her to the doctor late this morning, and now she's sleeping soundly. She wasn't scheduled to have a flu shot today, but they did give it her, which saves us a trip back there next week.
Yeah, this post is scattered but so is my brain today.
And, of course, if I'm being a tad bit selfish, great for us, too. Because that means movement. That means more children uniting with their forever families and more beds open at my agency's home in ET. Which means we inch, day by day, closer and closer to meeting our daughter.
I am certain now that she's born and out there, making her way to us. With her big eyes and her courage, just like her sister.
Have I ever mentioned R is the bravest child I've ever known? I'm so blessed to be her momma and soon the momma of two ET girls. God is good.
Speaking of R, I'm home with her today. She's sick, the poor little curly fry. I took her to the doctor late this morning, and now she's sleeping soundly. She wasn't scheduled to have a flu shot today, but they did give it her, which saves us a trip back there next week.
Yeah, this post is scattered but so is my brain today.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Chili and Cornbread
Is there anything better than chili and cornbread on a fall day? I took R to my parents' house this afternoon (she's staying overnight, too-- practicing for when Momma and Dadda go to ET to bring home baby sister), and my dad had made a huge pot of chili. Not just any chili-- my Grandad's chili. My grandfather used to make it for fall family gatherings. Maybe I'm biased, but his recipe is better than any other chili I've ever eaten!
What are some things that are fall traditions in your family?
What are some things that are fall traditions in your family?
Saturday, October 10, 2009
A Letter
Dear Y,
(Y is R's birthmother.)
As R gets closer to her 2nd birthday and we get closer to returning to Ethiopia, the more you are on my mind.
First, I need to apologize. You asked me to send you pictures. I haven't been good about that recently, and I don't really know why. After all, you gave me your daughter so I could be a mother. And pictures, I take tons. There is really no excuse for not sending them to you. I am so sorry. I promise you here and now that I will send some to our agency on Monday. (And, please, those of you actually reading this, please, please hold me accountable for that.)
Second, R is growing more and more every day. She is amazing. She is funny, she loves to dance, and she has started singing lately. She has a little bear named Beary whom she takes with her everywhere. She is growing tall, and she is more and more beautiful each day. She makes everyone who meets her love her. I think she gets that from her birthmother.
Today we went to a "home for a year" celebration another ET adoptive family held to mark their one year "Family Day." Their little daughter is one month younger than R, and the 2 of them had fun dancing around to the African drum group the mom had come to entertain the kids. I'm doing what I can to build strong connections to other Ethiopians for R. I think it is so important, and I know you would, too.
I was thinking all day yesterday about when we met you. There are so many things I wish I had said to you and had asked you. And I think you feel the same. I wish so much that the director would have allowed us to talk to you again when you returned after our brief meeting was over. I wish I wouldn't have listened to her insistence that we leave right away so you didn't see us still there. I wish I would have ran over and hugged you. I wish we could have spent more time together. I wish we would have taken more pictures of you with R for her and for you. I wish..... a million things.
I hope so much that when we return to ET to bring our second daughter home that we can see you again. I asked our case manager about it months ago, and she said that was something we'd talk about when the time got closer. Of course, R will not be there, but there are so many things I want to say to you and to ask you.
Please know that I love R so much that I feel I might burst sometimes. Know that there is not a day that goes by in which I do not thank God she is my daughter and thank God for your decision to allow us to adopt her. Know that I will do all I can to make certain our daughter has a good life.
There are no more words. Please, God, give me the grace to be the mother you want me to be for our daughter.
Love,
M
(Y is R's birthmother.)
As R gets closer to her 2nd birthday and we get closer to returning to Ethiopia, the more you are on my mind.
First, I need to apologize. You asked me to send you pictures. I haven't been good about that recently, and I don't really know why. After all, you gave me your daughter so I could be a mother. And pictures, I take tons. There is really no excuse for not sending them to you. I am so sorry. I promise you here and now that I will send some to our agency on Monday. (And, please, those of you actually reading this, please, please hold me accountable for that.)
Second, R is growing more and more every day. She is amazing. She is funny, she loves to dance, and she has started singing lately. She has a little bear named Beary whom she takes with her everywhere. She is growing tall, and she is more and more beautiful each day. She makes everyone who meets her love her. I think she gets that from her birthmother.
Today we went to a "home for a year" celebration another ET adoptive family held to mark their one year "Family Day." Their little daughter is one month younger than R, and the 2 of them had fun dancing around to the African drum group the mom had come to entertain the kids. I'm doing what I can to build strong connections to other Ethiopians for R. I think it is so important, and I know you would, too.
I was thinking all day yesterday about when we met you. There are so many things I wish I had said to you and had asked you. And I think you feel the same. I wish so much that the director would have allowed us to talk to you again when you returned after our brief meeting was over. I wish I wouldn't have listened to her insistence that we leave right away so you didn't see us still there. I wish I would have ran over and hugged you. I wish we could have spent more time together. I wish we would have taken more pictures of you with R for her and for you. I wish..... a million things.
I hope so much that when we return to ET to bring our second daughter home that we can see you again. I asked our case manager about it months ago, and she said that was something we'd talk about when the time got closer. Of course, R will not be there, but there are so many things I want to say to you and to ask you.
Please know that I love R so much that I feel I might burst sometimes. Know that there is not a day that goes by in which I do not thank God she is my daughter and thank God for your decision to allow us to adopt her. Know that I will do all I can to make certain our daughter has a good life.
There are no more words. Please, God, give me the grace to be the mother you want me to be for our daughter.
Love,
M
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
October Number
Our October number is in. We are officially:
We are getting closer and closer to meeting our baby girl. We are hoping for a referral in 2009 still and seem on track for that to happen.
However, as we all well know, timelines and international adoption do not mix!
6!!
We are getting closer and closer to meeting our baby girl. We are hoping for a referral in 2009 still and seem on track for that to happen.
However, as we all well know, timelines and international adoption do not mix!
Monday, October 5, 2009
Babies Everywhere!!
No new numbers yet for us. I'll let you know when I know.
However, my sweet friend L is pregnant!!! YAY!! She is due May 13.
M's due date is May 10th!
And, my friend A who I told you about a week or so ago, well, she's pregnant with twins!
So to sum up, that means:
Of my closest friends, 4 of the 5 of them are pregnant! (V is due like Nov. 13.)
And, I know, in my own way, I am, too!
Babies are such blessings!
However, my sweet friend L is pregnant!!! YAY!! She is due May 13.
M's due date is May 10th!
And, my friend A who I told you about a week or so ago, well, she's pregnant with twins!
So to sum up, that means:
Of my closest friends, 4 of the 5 of them are pregnant! (V is due like Nov. 13.)
And, I know, in my own way, I am, too!
Babies are such blessings!
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Our Passports...
... were in the garage in a random box. Sometimes my husband "cleans" by putting stuff in a box and shoving it in the garage. (Yes, it is really helpful when he does this.)
But the good news is that they are now where they are supposed to be. I had a feeling that they were missing because of A, but I didn't want him to feel bad.
I know this is silly, but I was really sad about the fact that our Ethiopia trips wouldn't be in the same passport book. I'm glad our 2 trips (and possibly a 3rd someday) to bring our children home are going to be in the same one!
Thanks to all of you for your "lost passport" prayers!
But the good news is that they are now where they are supposed to be. I had a feeling that they were missing because of A, but I didn't want him to feel bad.
I know this is silly, but I was really sad about the fact that our Ethiopia trips wouldn't be in the same passport book. I'm glad our 2 trips (and possibly a 3rd someday) to bring our children home are going to be in the same one!
Thanks to all of you for your "lost passport" prayers!
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Update by Numbers
1. No luck finding passports. Will apply for new ones this coming week.
2. Husband is currently making a steak marinade from a bunch of onion, garlic, cooking wine, and other various items he purchased at the store tonight.
3. Currently stuffed from too much Ethiopian food. Yummy!
4. No progress on the in-laws situation, really. Thanks to those who commented. It is just really nice to hear from people outside the situation. A did talk to his mother the other day, and things are still pretty "chaotic" as she puts it.
5. Heart still breaking for orphans, but am trying to act on it. Currently have 6 bumbo seats being shipped to my house to take with us when we travel and am working on getting other donations from other places. At least I am not feeling so helpless. Crying in the school library while I post to my blog is not helpful. Emailing companies and asking for donations of baby seats, formula, diapers, wipes, and shoes is. Choosing to focus on what I can currently change.
6. 6th wedding anniversary tomorrow.
7. No new numbers yet. I talked to our case manager on Wed. (unrelated to numbers), and she said we'll get them via email this coming week. You'll know my number shortly after I do!
2. Husband is currently making a steak marinade from a bunch of onion, garlic, cooking wine, and other various items he purchased at the store tonight.
3. Currently stuffed from too much Ethiopian food. Yummy!
4. No progress on the in-laws situation, really. Thanks to those who commented. It is just really nice to hear from people outside the situation. A did talk to his mother the other day, and things are still pretty "chaotic" as she puts it.
5. Heart still breaking for orphans, but am trying to act on it. Currently have 6 bumbo seats being shipped to my house to take with us when we travel and am working on getting other donations from other places. At least I am not feeling so helpless. Crying in the school library while I post to my blog is not helpful. Emailing companies and asking for donations of baby seats, formula, diapers, wipes, and shoes is. Choosing to focus on what I can currently change.
6. 6th wedding anniversary tomorrow.
7. No new numbers yet. I talked to our case manager on Wed. (unrelated to numbers), and she said we'll get them via email this coming week. You'll know my number shortly after I do!
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Passports
Could ya say a little prayer that we find our passports?
My passport and A's passport are currently no where to be found. We have R's ET one along with all her other important documents and paperwork.
The last time I remember seeing them was on April 8, when we went to our fingerprint appointment with CIS.
I'd just really rather spend that $150 it would take to get replacements on formula and diapers to take to HH with us when we travel.
My passport and A's passport are currently no where to be found. We have R's ET one along with all her other important documents and paperwork.
The last time I remember seeing them was on April 8, when we went to our fingerprint appointment with CIS.
I'd just really rather spend that $150 it would take to get replacements on formula and diapers to take to HH with us when we travel.
I just can't take it.
Why is there such suffering in our world?
Why are there millions of orphans starving right in Africa, in Ethiopia, in Addis Ababa as I sit at a computer and type?
Why do I feel completely helpless to do anything to make a change?
Yes, today is one of those days in which I feel the overwhelming weight of all that I know, have seen first hand, and will see again in the upcoming months.
They are children, children like my daughter. What could have been my daughter had her birthmother decided to raise her. They are beautiful, curly-haired, huge-eyed children who are no different than what R could have been.
Why were they born into poverty and me into privilege?
Why are there millions of orphans starving right in Africa, in Ethiopia, in Addis Ababa as I sit at a computer and type?
Why do I feel completely helpless to do anything to make a change?
Yes, today is one of those days in which I feel the overwhelming weight of all that I know, have seen first hand, and will see again in the upcoming months.
They are children, children like my daughter. What could have been my daughter had her birthmother decided to raise her. They are beautiful, curly-haired, huge-eyed children who are no different than what R could have been.
Why were they born into poverty and me into privilege?
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