Since the referral we have been completing all of the needed steps to accept baby E. After signing a whole stack of documents, chatting with our international pediatrician, social worker, and case worker, we submitted our final contracts into the mail today.We were hoping to have all of our contracts to the AGCI office by tomorrow. Since we are in the middle of nowhere land, when one sends a letter next day arrival, it takes 2 days. Oh well, all will be in Oregon on Monday morning when the offices open.
Our next step is another telephone conference with our case worker to discuss the court process, which will happen some time next week.
The good news is the Ethiopian courts open next week, which means adoption files will begin to be processed. We are praying for a court date to be set and that we will pass the 1st time. We are also praying that baby E will stay strong and healthy and will be home for Christmas.
Baby E is currently at HH in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, which is a transition home owned by our agency. This is basically an orphanage, except many of the kids who reside here are in the process of being adopted. Here baby E receives all of her clothes, food, blankets etc. In the baby room there is one nanny to 3 babies, which is wonderful! This means that our daughter is being held, touched, and played with.
HH counts on parent donations to keep it stocked. We are also in the process of collecting a number of items for the kids at HH. If you are willing to donate any of these items (listed below), please let me know or drop them by. It is also going to cost extra to take all of the items with us. If you would like to donate shipping money that would be GREAT too. Here is a list of needed items:
For babies
diapers - half being for newborns
pull-ups
Johnson and Johnson baby shampoo
lotions, baby oils, baby wash
Diaper rash cream (prefer Desitin) - open to whatever you think works best
baby wipes
Advent baby bottles
Vegetable and soy- based formulas
infant bouncy seats
boppys
multivitamins for babies - liquid drops, also organic flax seed
The older kids (ages 4 through 13 years old)
Shoes - Crocs
pants
pajamas
dandruff shampoos
body soaps
lotions - for dry to ashy skin
regular size towels (pink and blue)
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Friday, September 17, 2010
Baby E is here!!!!!
Our baby is here! Baby E was born ++++++++. (I cannot post any specifics such as birthdate, weight, lenght, etc. about our baby online until she is home with us.)But, I can said that she is absolutely beautiful!!! She has a head full of black, curly hair. I think when we bring her home she will be supporting a fro or pigtails.
The story of our referral - Thursday, September 16, 11:50
I was in the process of finishing my 4 year old son's (G) room. I had been taking all of the baby items off the walls and seussifying his room. My mother stopped by and took G to pick up some donuts. It was 11:50 a.m. and the phone rang. I looked and saw that it was AGCI!!! I told myself NOT to get too excited because the day before we had received an email from our case worker about the referrals being very slow this month.
I answered the phone, "Hello."
"Is this K?"
"Yes," I answered.
"How are you? How is the waiting going?"
I am thinking, oh no, she is just calling for just a monthly update. CRUSHED! I reply,"Well, it's getting long, but we are ok."
Then she proceeded, "I have a little girl I would like to talk to you about."
"You DO??!!??!!!
At this time my mom entered with G. My son, G is yelling,"Daddy's home, daddy's home!!!!!"
I walk into the kitchen in shock, "It is the CALL. OUR REFERRAL! The BABY!!!"
My mom took G outside to play while C and I learned all about our little girl! The entire time K is telling us all about baby E; C was smiling ear to ear. I was shaking, crying, and laughing, completely emotionally overwhelmed! The time has finally arrived, we have a DAUGHTER!!! Just like that. As we were opening the different referral documents, we had our first glimpse of our little beauty. We both gasped! Our case worker, K stopped and said, "Is everything ok?" I was crying, so C answered , "We opened the wrong file; we just saw our daughter." She is just perfect! She is such a beautiful baby. We can't wait to meet our little sweetheart. After the phone call we called in G and my mom to see our new addition. What an absolutely wonderful day!!!!
I don't know how we are suppose to keep living a normal life when our baby is clear across the world. We are praying God will just give all of us peace as we prepare ourselves for the court process.
We love you, Baby E. We hope to see you very soon.
The story of our referral - Thursday, September 16, 11:50
I was in the process of finishing my 4 year old son's (G) room. I had been taking all of the baby items off the walls and seussifying his room. My mother stopped by and took G to pick up some donuts. It was 11:50 a.m. and the phone rang. I looked and saw that it was AGCI!!! I told myself NOT to get too excited because the day before we had received an email from our case worker about the referrals being very slow this month.
I answered the phone, "Hello."
"Is this K?"
"Yes," I answered.
"How are you? How is the waiting going?"
I am thinking, oh no, she is just calling for just a monthly update. CRUSHED! I reply,"Well, it's getting long, but we are ok."
Then she proceeded, "I have a little girl I would like to talk to you about."
"You DO??!!??!!!
At this time my mom entered with G. My son, G is yelling,"Daddy's home, daddy's home!!!!!"
I walk into the kitchen in shock, "It is the CALL. OUR REFERRAL! The BABY!!!"
My mom took G outside to play while C and I learned all about our little girl! The entire time K is telling us all about baby E; C was smiling ear to ear. I was shaking, crying, and laughing, completely emotionally overwhelmed! The time has finally arrived, we have a DAUGHTER!!! Just like that. As we were opening the different referral documents, we had our first glimpse of our little beauty. We both gasped! Our case worker, K stopped and said, "Is everything ok?" I was crying, so C answered , "We opened the wrong file; we just saw our daughter." She is just perfect! She is such a beautiful baby. We can't wait to meet our little sweetheart. After the phone call we called in G and my mom to see our new addition. What an absolutely wonderful day!!!!
I don't know how we are suppose to keep living a normal life when our baby is clear across the world. We are praying God will just give all of us peace as we prepare ourselves for the court process.
We love you, Baby E. We hope to see you very soon.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
RING..phone..RING!
Every day I wake up and wonder is today the day. Then another day comes and goes with no referral call.
When I was pregnant, I watched many hours of the show "A Baby Story." Now many days are spent finding youtube videos or other adoption blogs of families sharing their story. For many months I had been stalking other AGCI family blogs who were ahead of us on the referral list to see if they had any news on their progression, which would effect ours. Now all of the families who were ahead of us on the list have their referrals and are awaiting a court date, so it is just us waiting for our call.
I have to say this is just as exciting and nerve-racking as awaiting a positive pregnancy test!
When I was pregnant, I watched many hours of the show "A Baby Story." Now many days are spent finding youtube videos or other adoption blogs of families sharing their story. For many months I had been stalking other AGCI family blogs who were ahead of us on the referral list to see if they had any news on their progression, which would effect ours. Now all of the families who were ahead of us on the list have their referrals and are awaiting a court date, so it is just us waiting for our call.
I have to say this is just as exciting and nerve-racking as awaiting a positive pregnancy test!
Only this wait is much longer than 3 minutes!
Is today the day???
Thursday, September 2, 2010
NUMBER 1
We were on vacation this week and had little to no internet connection. I was so thankful I was not home when AGCI called to give us our official September number. I think I would have exploded when I saw the caller I.D. and been awefully disappointed when it was a confirmation call that we are "officially" NUMBER 1 on the baby girl waiting list. We have been waiting for "the call" with the words "we have a baby we would like to you see" for the past week or two. Every time our cell. phones would ring this week I would jump, hoping to see AGCI's number. Hopefully, the call will come very soon.
Next week, we will be busy trying to update our homestudy paperwork, call the international pediatrician back, call the international travel agent, schedule more shots, etc. Hopefully, we will have all of this finished before we have all of the referral paperwork to complete. Either way, all will be completed.
I will post as soon as I hear anything new. Thank you all for your prayers and support. :)
Next week, we will be busy trying to update our homestudy paperwork, call the international pediatrician back, call the international travel agent, schedule more shots, etc. Hopefully, we will have all of this finished before we have all of the referral paperwork to complete. Either way, all will be completed.
I will post as soon as I hear anything new. Thank you all for your prayers and support. :)
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Still Waiting.........
I thought I would give everyone an update. We haven't heard anything yet; we are still (im) patiently waiting.
Waiting to see our little girl's face
Any day now
I love her already
Time is moving so s..l..o..w..l..y
I can't wait to see her
Now would be a great time to receive her referral
Give prayers everyday for our daughter
Waiting to see our little girl's face
Any day now
I love her already
Time is moving so s..l..o..w..l..y
I can't wait to see her
Now would be a great time to receive her referral
Give prayers everyday for our daughter
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