Around the corner!

Applied for and received my ET visa within a week! Score!!!!
Got my vaccinations from a terribly rude woman at the health Dept. who questioned why anyone would want to adopt "a foreign baby..." No, I didn't actually hit her, but I sure thought about it. Her office was full of "Christian symbolism" (quotes denote the fact that I think it's all malarky). FYI...having religion does not give you values, people. Contrary to what most religious folks think, morals are not ordained by their imaginary God or gods. Rather, morals and values are what you set for yourself. The Golden Rule makes for a very good guide to life, and no, Moses did not write it!!!!!!
OK, little off track, but she did offend me...I calmly explained to E & G as we left the building that there are three kinds of people in the world: stupid, even more stupid, and people who think before they speak (the third group we like)! Jason said that most people just can't think outside the box...and that I don't even have a box I'm so way out there!! I took it as it was meant...as a compliment! He really knows the sweet talking stuff!! It's why I married him...he just gets me.

Getting ready...

Our official acceptance went to the agency, so now we're back to waiting for our travel date this time. We'll only have one month's notice until I go, so there's lots to do!! I can't believe I'll be in Africa in 2 months!

Nathan is on his way!!!!!!!

I cannot believe I was whining last night about the wait, and today, we got the call!!! Diane from Lutheran Services of GA gave us the great news and we accepted before we saw the picture!! There has never been the question of accepting or not. I am over the top in love with him...he looks like he'll give George a run for his money! He's fifteen months old (DOB December 20, 2005) and walking!! Yikes!
Now, the preparation begins with shots, visa application, tickets, all sorts of stuff. Totally worth it...travel usually happens 8-10 weeks after referral (of course, the referral usually comes 4-6 months after dossier is sent, and ours came 2 months to the day!!).
Looks like a late April/May trip...I'll have a month's notice before I go. I'm wasting time sitting here writing...need to go start packing!!!!!!!
Julie S, you are definitely right about the pregnant thing!!!

Waiting...

This waiting is killing me. He's there, waiting for us, we're here, waiting for him. Ahhhh!!!!!!
I think I have underestimated how poverty-stricken Ethiopia is. I know it's poor, but I think I will be shocked when I'm there. Not out of naivety, just out of an inability to comprehend how poor people can actually be.
I am reading other people's adoption and travel blogs about Ethiopia, and they all say the same thing--the level of poverty was so much greater than they'd anticipated.
We bought some little bears to take with us, and we will be asking for supplies donations before I go--one site reported that the orphanges are in need of plastic diaper covers. I'll have to get a final list before I start collecting.
Mum finished his afgan, and it is waiting, along with some other things I will take. We can mail photos and albums before we go that he will have while he waits.
I am rambling...can you tell I'm tired of waiting??? I may have to get pregnant to pass the time!!!!!!!

Orphan Petition approved!

Yea! We received our I-797 "Notice of Action" last week--basically means the US government has approved us to adopt.
Still waiting...

Dossier Complete!!!!

Mailed the rest of our dossier papers last week. Woohoo!!!!!!
Now we are waiting to be matched and see our little guy! Could be anywhere from one to four months...I hate waiting.

Almost there...

Fingerprints...done.
Dossier...almost complete.
The waiting really sucks, but it will be worth it!
Jason said the other day that he had his head around 5 kids, but wasn't sure about 6...!

Fingerprints!!!!!!

We received our fingerprint notice today! Our appointment is for next week...can't believe how fast that went! Then we wait (again) for immigration (CIS) approval.

We're approved!

Our homestudy has been approved...yea! That is the biggest hurdle. Now we are waiting for Immigration clearance which may be difficult this time because I have not changed my citizenship yet (been meaning to do that...) and there's a new guy at the CIS office who is pretty picky. Better change it before the next adoption! After that, we receive our referral.
It will be between one and four months until we have our picture.

Almost there!

CHSFS has all our paperwork!! They are, as we speak, reviewing our stuff! I am starting to worry about the trip. Leaving the kids...the travel advisory...leaving the kids...I know they will be fine, it's me I'm worried about. I'm not a mom who relishes in her alone time from the kids! Need to focus on the final outcome--BABY!

Homestudy: COMPLETE and sent in!
Now the real wait begins...we made our deadline (set by me, not the agency!), so if what they said is true, we might have a photo in a few weeks!!!!!!

Mailed all but one document to our Social Worker yesterday. Now she can finish the homestudy and then...more waiting!
Once we have a referral, we can actually mail stuff to him/her. Stuff like blankets and photo albums...keepsakes. Some of it goes to the general care center, but personal items will stay with the child and we can bring them home with us. Very different from China...

Well...medicals are done. Getting passport photos this week. We meet with our social worker this Friday morning, and then from there, we are on the downhill side! Once our homestudy is turned in, we wait for our referral! I've been doing alot of research on Ethiopia and it should prove to be an interesting, although short, trip.

Terrorists stink!
I love to fly and always feel safe--what I don't like are the long waits because of random acts of idiocy and religious-psycho-terrorism...it simply just wastes my (and everyone else's) time.
I am still planning to go--sans lotion and shampoo, evidently!
My sister has agreed to travel with me, so the issue of having noone to talk to for 19+ hours is gone.
Our agancy posted some more pictures of some of the babies available--they are SWEET! Can't wait to meet our baby!
Our friend "Auntie" Laura is once again instrumental in getting us notarized and official--thanks!

Well...I have already started thinking about packing!! "Be prepared!" Jason and I both think this could be a "carry-on" only trip--it's only five days...looks like I may have to make an overnight layover in London...bummer, eh?! That calls for dinner with London Lisa! This way, we're averaging every five years between visits!
Some info about Ethiopia on the link below--it's a neat place.
Can't believe I'm going to Africa...cool.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethiopia

Ethiopian Tidbits...

Our new agency is great! They have already sent us a ton of info on the upcoming trip to Addis Ababa--when can I pack???!!
There are no referrals made during the next two months, in which time we will be preparing our dossier--more fingerprints, medicals, gathering of documents...
Then, in October, we will be anxiously awaiting a picture and a name!!
Anyone interested in a brief trip (M-F plus 2 travel days) to Africa??

Here we "grow" again...!

Well, it's official! We sent our application to our new adoption agency, Children's Home Society & Family Services last week, and we spoke to our social worker there, Peg, about what's next. She told us if we get our paperwork ready, once we receive our referral, we could be travelling before the end of this year--THIS year--2006!!
I am working on our dear, dear friend, "Granny" Cherry to travel with me. 19 hours on a plane to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Africa...totally worth it. Jason will have to stay home for this one which stinks because he'll miss all the FOOD!
We have requested a boy, one year younger than Ellie Mei and George.
We'll keep you posted...
~Minna