Crazy Good Stuff

In January, I blogged about how Samantha and I spent a snow day making flowery headbands to send to Kari Gibson for her mission trip to Ethiopia.  The snow days piled up this year, but this day was our favorite.  Kari is back home now and we were delighted to find this sweet video on her blog.  What a blessing!!  Samantha's headbands have a big flower with a bead-filled bottle cap center.

You can visit Kari's blog, My Crazy Adoption, to read about her trip with Visiting Orphans and the 1,500 headbands she received!!

THANKS FOR SHARING, KARI!  CRAZY GOOD STUFF!!!

Unbelievable

The fact that I am even writing this post today, after all of these months of waiting and wondering, is the first thing that seems a little unbelievable. 

Since passing court in January, after 10 court dates, we felt certain that all of the hoops had been successfully cleared and we would be granted a speedy appointment with the US Embassy.  As I have shared before, this appointment is the final step necessary before bringing our son home from Ethiopia.  However, today we received word of another delay.

After interviewing the guardian, who “took in” and temporarily cared for Trey Chalew, out of an abundance of caution, the US Embassy has decided that they would also like to have a DNA test done to confirm that the guardian is not actually the birth father (insert big, emotional sigh here).  This is a process that typically takes 8 weeks, but because our agency has a contact who may be able to expedite things, they are hoping for results in closer to 4 weeks. 

You can imagine the thoughts and “what-ifs” swirling around in my head today.  It was shocking news to receive.  However, while we didn’t see it coming, I cannot say I am surprised they are requiring this.  The story of how a child comes to live in an orphanage is obviously never going to be a fairy tale.  It is guaranteed to be full of painful details and sadness.  Sometimes, as is the case for us, the story can be so complicated and difficult, it seems almost unbelievable.

Our adoption agency feels confident the guardian’s statements have been true.  Various reports, from both the police and the local government, have been provided.  We met the guardian in person during our trip to Ethiopia for court, and we have a video of the interview that was completed  prior to our referral.  We have no reason not to believe him and he would have little reason to be untruthful.  In all honesty, though, I think David and I would both always wonder deep, deep down.  Now we won’t...and we have decided to be thankful for that.

November Update Picture

January Update Photo

February Update Photo

The Waiting Room

We have a waiting room in our house.  It’s a room that is waiting for a little boy who will someday soon call it his own.  In this room, there’s a little bed waiting to be slept in and fuzzy friends waiting to be cuddled.  There are all kinds of books, their pages waiting to be turned, and baskets of toys waiting to be explored.  The closet and drawers are full of clothes waiting  for a little body to fill them.  There are pictures of him on the wall so he know this room has been waiting just for him.





Earlier this week, the US Embassy decided that they would also like to interview the guardian who cared for our son .  Plans are being made for him to make the eight hour trip from the Ethiopian countryside to the capital city of Addis Ababa…again.  I cannot begin to guess how he feels about all of this.  Certainly, he could not have foreseen all the travel and the interviews when he chose to take in a young boy off the streets.  He is a young man, unmarried, who works as a shoeshine for a living.  I am hoping he welcomes the opportunity for another adventure.  I wish I could thank him.

Feeling Wiggly

In my last update, I explained that our final adoption document - please let that be the last time I say that - was ready to be translated and was to be submitted to the US Embassy on Wednesday.  Well, turns out Wednesday was an Ethiopian holiday and the offices were closed for the day.

After pestering Kristen, the travel coordinator at AWAA, I learned that the document was submitted today and that they expect we will be cleared for travel any day now. 

While I know comparing yourself to a dog isn’t very becoming, I feel a little bit like a dog who is about ready to receive a treat but is continuously told, “Sit……..sit……..
sit……..sit……..sit……..sit……..sit……..sit……..sit……..sit……..sit……..sit……..sit……..
sit……..sit……..sit……..sit……..sit……..sit……..sit……..sit……..sit……..sit……..sit…….”

I am almost shaking with excitement and I know something wonderful is on it’s way, but it’s hard to feel so wiggly!

Hurry Up, Wednesday!!

We just received word that our adoption agency has the police report requested by the US Embassy in hand in Ethiopia!!  They will be having it translated tomorrow and will be submitting it by Wednesday morning.  Please pray the Embassy is content and puts their fine-tooth comb away.  Once we are clear, we can start making plans to finally bring our little guy home.  Hurry up, Wednesday!!

THANKS AGAIN to Suzanne and Michael Gowin for delivering our care package

and sending us such beautiful photographs.  We love you guys!

Just One More Thing

On February 9th, our adoption paperwork was submitted to the US Embassy in Ethiopia.  When the Embassy receives an adoption case, they thoroughly screen it to ensure that the facts surrounding a child’s relinquishment or abandonment are true and that the child meets the definition of an orphan under U.S. immigration law.  Once they determine that the case is complete, the Embassy works with the family and their adoption agency to select a date for an immigrant visa interview.  This is the final step in the process before bringing your child home. 

Once submitted, the Embassy has 7-10 days to let you know whether you are cleared or if any additional paperwork or time is needed.  On Friday (Day 10), we learned that they are requesting an additional document from the police in the area our son is from confirming the circumstances surrounding the passing of his birth mother.  I do not know how many times we have told people during this process that we are waiting on just one more thing, but it has been plenty.  We’re not sure how long it will take to obtain this final document.  It may take days, or it may take weeks, and ultimately depends on how cooperative the police want to be. 

Today, it has been seven months since we received our referral and saw his sweet face for the first time.  It has been almost four months since we first held him in our arms and received our first hugs and kisses.  Tomorrow, will mark one month since he was legally and irrevocably named our son.  We miss him and we are ready to bring him home.

Our dear friend, Lori Laughner, delivered a care package to Trey Chalew for us last month when she traveled to Ethiopia for her Embassy appointment.  She sent us a video and we thought it would be fun to share a little bit with you.  As a part of the care package, we sent a photo album with pictures of our family life at home and of the time we spent together in Ethiopia.

He is Ours!!!

1 Application to America World Adoption Association

3 Home Visits with a Social Worker

2 Autobiographies

2 State and FBI Background Checks

2 Fingerprinting Appointments
3 Letters of Reference

10 Hours Online Adoption Training

1 Adoptive Parent Reading Agreement

4 Physical Exams

1 USCIS Approval Letter

1 Completed Dossier

1 Bedroom Swap

26 Immunizations including 4 Yellow Fever and 4 Typhoid shots

1 Rainy Season

10 Day Trip to Ethiopia for Four

6 Care Packages

10 Court Dates

Months of Anticipation

Countless Prayers

1 Court Approval!!!

ONE BELOVED NEW SON!!

Trey Chalew Davidson

Flowers for Korah

Monday night and Tuesday morning brought the St. Louis area three whole inches of snow.  While is seems a little crazy to a girl from North Iowa, in Missouri that means school is closed for a snow day!   I love snow days and still feel the childhood excitement of an unexpected day off. 

I had just read a post by bloggy mom Kari Gibson about her upcoming mission trip to Ethiopia with Visiting Orphans.  In February, she is hoping to deliver pretty headbands to all of the little girls living in the village of Korah, and was looking for some crafty friends to help her out.  Samantha and I loved this idea and we decided to spend our day off making some colorful creations to send Kari's way.

Here's what we came up with.  We purchased silk flowers in bunches at the local craft store.  After removing the stems and taking the flower apart, we reassembled the bloom using a quick swirl of hot glue between each layer.  Samantha filled bottle caps with sparkly little beads and Mod Podge and attached them to the center of each flower.  Once dry, we attached an alligator clip to the back of each so they can be worn like a barrette or clipped onto a headband.  Very cute and so simple!!

If you're feeling a little crafty and would like to send a donation to Kari, or would like to learn more about her upcoming trip, you can visit her blog at 

My Crazy Adoption. 

Here is a short documentary about the children and families that live in Korah.  If you haven't seen this already, I promise it is worth your four minutes and has the potential to impact you for a lifetime.

The Roller Coaster

I have put off this blog post for too long now. It's not because we don't have any news. It's because it's not the news we want to share. I want to write that we have passed court, that our embassy appointment has been scheduled, and we are booking tickets to bring our son home. However, we have not passed court and are scheduled for court date #8 on January 10. It all has to do with missing paperwork, overbooked court dates, and a last minute vacation by the judge. Blah, blah, blah.

It is very boring news to report. The experience, however, is a bit of a roller coaster. While court is taking place in Ethiopia on the other side of the world, we are sound asleep - or at least we should be! The night of each court date, I wake multiple times wondering if our case has been reviewed yet. Once I've decided enough is enough, I get out of bed, make the coffee, and start waiting for the phone to ring. I pace around the house making nervous conversation - usually with myself - and constantly glance at the clock. I take breaks every five minutes and search Facebook for updates from other adoption families who are also waiting on news. This is my routine on court day.  Eventually, a call from the 703 area code shows up on caller ID. Each time I blurt out an obnoxious "Hello!!" in hopes that my enthusiasm will have some influence on the news I am about to receive. Obviously, every call so far has been a let down and I have recently started having visions of someday sending our son care packages full of deodorant, shaving cream, and beef jerky.

With a little effort, the disappointment is short-lived. I remind myself that many people have said many prayers over this adoption.  I remind myself that we have put this adoption in God's hands and that we should enjoy the ride.  We refocus on the prize and put a new date on the calendar to look forward to, knowing that a successful court date could be right around the corner.   The anticipation, though, is unavoidable.  After all, there are only 5,760 minutes until our next court date.

The No News and the Great News

We are so blessed to have so many people excited about our adoption and wondering where we are in the process. The most popular question is obviously, “How much longer until you are able to bring your little boy home.” Unfortunately, this is the “no news” part.

We were scheduled for our third court date on December 15. After pacing around the house for the better half of the day with a phone in each hand, we received a call from our adoption agency letting us know that because the courts were over-booked, they did not even get to our case and we had been rescheduled for the following day, December 16.  Since the other families in our travel group, as well as many families who have traveled after us, have already passed court and are starting to bring their children home, we were feeling quite confident that we would be receiving our happy phone call this week. However, on court date number four, we learned that MOWA (Ministry of Women’s Affairs) still had not submitted their letter of approval, the final piece of paper we have been waiting on since the beginning of November. Why? I have no idea. It’s not that there is a specific problem. It seems they just haven’t gotten around to it.

While this news does not make me want to dance on the kitchen table, I don’t necessarily consider it “bad news”. I believe if you pray about something and trust in God’s timing, then you can’t really sit around the house pouting when things don’t happen exactly as you would like. It is especially inappropriate behavior when you received your referral phone call in only 18 days, which was insanely fast, while others wait for months. So, we are looking forward to court date number five on Thursday, December 23, and hope that we have one more thing to celebrate this Christmas.

Here’s the great news part!! For those who haven’t been following along over the past few weeks, Samantha decided that she wanted to do a GIVE-AWAY at her blog, Little Goody 2-Shoes, to help raise the funds to buy new shoes for all 42 new kids at Kind Hearts in Ethiopia. I felt that 42 pairs of shoes was a pretty darn ambitious goal. Then our friend, Karen Wistrom, with Children’s HopeChest informed us that there are also 18 new children at Trees of Glory who would be blessed to receive new shoes. In order to buy 60 pairs of shoes, Samantha would need to raise $1080 or sell 216 necklaces. I thought we might be acting a little nuts, but she wanted to go for it. The response was incredible!! I really want to tell you how it turned out, but you’ll just have to go read about it here.

Ethiopian Orphans

Ethiopian Orphans from Simon Scionka on Vimeo.

I love this video.  I hate the reality of it.  I've watched it too many times to count.  I definitely think it's worth sharing.

Samantha's Christmas GIVE AWAY!!

In celebration of the Christmas season, Samantha has a new blog post, a bold new goal, a bunch of super cute new designs, and is having a fun GIVE AWAY.  You can read all about it at Little Goody 2-Shoes.  Be sure to leave her a comment so you can be entered to win and help her spread the word!!

http://littlegoody2-shoes.blogspot.com/

Beautiful People

Many of the things we saw in Ethiopia undoubtedly saddened my heart.  That being said, it is true that Ethiopia is also a country of remarkable beauty. While I know it sounds cliché, I can’t help but say that the most beautiful thing about Ethiopia was - hands down - the people.

If it was up to me, we would have come home with at least ten children and five grown men.  Our guides and drivers were absolutely the best.  Dave and I speculate that job openings at America World must be worded “Only the very best people in the country need apply.” The staff, both at America World and the Yebsabi Guest House, were especially wonderful with Samantha and Toby. They played endless hours of soccer together, engaged them in thoughtful conversations, and would even participate in their nonsensical “made-up” games. I’m still not sure what “Secret Agent Monkey” means, but they sure had fun with it. I liken the experience to going away for summer camp as a child and finishing the week with a whole group of new “best friends.” It really was hard to say goodbye. Toby had no desire to leave Ethiopia and sobbed as we made our way through the airport. Telling an 8-year-old boy that we can keep in touch with his new buddies over Facebook is not consoling.

To the families waiting for their first travel date, you are in the good hands of great men.

Michael Gowin Photography

Our charming guide, Job.  Such a cool guy - fantastic laugh. 

The original "Secret Agent Monkey."


Michael Gowin Photography

Our sweet and sincere guide, Yonas. 

Don't forget that you are staying with us when you visit the States, Yonas!

Tilahun (everybody calls him T), our diligent coordinator.  He managed our ever-changing schedules - always with a smile - and never missed a beat!

Michael Gowin Photography

Our excellent driver David and his watchful eyes. 

Anytime the situation started to get a little sticky, David was right there...making sure we didn't do anything stupid :)

Samantha, Yonas, and Toby in the courtyard at the guest house.

Even the guards at the guest house love on the kids and like to kick the soccer ball around.

I am so grateful for these men. 

It was a huge blessing to spend our time in Ethiopia with them.

Thanks to our friend and adoptive father Michael Gowin

(Michael Gowin Photography) for sharing your  pictures with us.  I've never longed for wealth or fame, but could definitely appreciate traveling with a professional photographer at my side.

Metcha Day

We arrived in Addis Ababa on a Saturday night.  While we were originally told that we would meet our son on Monday, we were surprised to learn that plans had changed and we were now scheduled to visit the Transition Home on Sunday afternoon.  We woke early and loaded our backpacks with with the necessities: the camera, the video camera, bottled water, snacks, and toys.  We met one of our awesome guides in the lobby of the Yebsabi Guest House and headed off for worship at the International Evangelical Church (more on that experience another day).  After lunch at Lime Tree restaurant, we loaded back into the van with the Milligan family from Alaska and were on our way.

Once we arrived, the guard opened the gate to the property and we pulled into the Transition Home courtyard.  We were led to a large outdoor porch where we handed off the camera and video camera.  It was time.  Being led by the hand, a beautiful little boy with a magnificent smile appeared in the doorway, took a few reluctant steps, and walked right into Dave's open arms.  After a solid embrace, Toby and Samantha each bowed down  to wrap their arms around their long-awaited brother.  Feeling confident that things were going smoothly, I reached out to lift him up and was relieved and delighted when he lifted his arms in willingness.  It was a perfect new beginning.

Families are only allowed to visit the Transition Home for a few hours each day.  There are approximately 80 children under the care of the staff and some semblance of routine is attempted.  The first half of our visit was spent cozied up on the couch playing with stickers.  The second half was spent with "C" hoisted up on Dave's shoulders and chasing the soccer ball around the courtyard.  When it was time for our departure, we received hugs and kisses before our sweet boy was escorted down the road to the quarters the older children call home.

After all of this loveliness, we were almost giddy to be returning for day two on Monday morning.  You can imagine our surprise when this time our son made his entrance through the doorway with a troubled expression on his face that said, "What in the world are you strange people doing back here?"  I have no idea what occurred between our affectionate good-byes on day one and this unexpected greeting on day two, but it was clear that we had misjudged the ease of our initial bonding.  Most of day two was spent following our child around the courtyard in exhausting efforts to recreate some of the good times we experienced on day one.  While he would reluctantly give in to us for a few moments during our time together, we left that day feeling defeated and emotionally spent.  As we loaded back into the van with the other families in our travel group, I found myself wishing I could trade my malaria meds for a pitcher of margaritas.

During the following visits over the next five days, we were more emotionally prepared and almost developed a routine of sorts.  Each day would begin with an attempt to reject our attention.  After persistent efforts on our behalf to prove that we are a fun and loving family, he would eventually allow himself to enjoy some of our limited time together and would even share his delicious smile.  We would play hide 'n' seek, color with markers, kick the soccer ball, look at books, race toy cars, and chase balloons.

We may never know what thoughts were running through his young mind that week.  His primary language is Sidamigna, a language that is not common in the capital city of Addis.  So even the staff, who primarily speak Amharic, had difficulty communicating with him.  I can only imagine, however, that being in a similar circumstance at age four, my first two children would have been terrified.  I am also certain that while far from ideal by our American standards, the Transition Home is the nicest place he has ever known.  Therefore, in addition to adopting a four-year-old child, we are committed to adopting a spirit of unlimited patience and understanding.

The hardest part of saying good-bye at the end of the week was not being able to whisper in his sweet little ear..."Listen, we know this is confusing and that you are scared, and we understand that.  Soon you will see that we have great things planned for you.  We're going to love you for the rest of our lives.  We're going to love you until you can't help but love us back."

Happy Birthday Toby

Happy 9th Birthday Toby!! 

Thanks for being such an awesome kid!!

Your mama's crazy about you!!

Court

Our court date took place on Thursday, day seven of our trip to Ethiopia.  We, along with three other families adopting through America World, traveled to the court house together.  The building was quite crowded and we stood tightly together at one end of a long hall.  Eventually, we were led into small waiting area that was lined with chairs.  Most of the chairs were taken, filled with Ethiopian families and guardians who were also required to be present for the same court appointments.  However, while we were there to promise that we had met our new children and would embrace them as our sons and daughters, they were there to permanently relinquish their rights.  Our group stood together in our own inner circle, waiting patiently for our child's name to be called.  For me, it was a rather uneasy moment filled with anticipation, anxiety, and awkward glances in all directions.

While our son has no known biological, living family members, he was cared for at one time by a man who was appointed as his legal guardian.  It was this man who had taken him to Shalom Orphanage in the Southern part of Ethiopia, with the hope that he would one day be adopted into a family.  The night before our court appointment, we received a DVD from our agency containing an  interview with the guardian.  Interviews are conducted whenever possible during the agency investigation, a procedure to ensure that the child being adopted is truly an orphan.  Dave was quickly able to recognize him in the waiting room.  I tried to casually sneak a peek in his direction, but found him staring directly back at me.  No doubt he was trying to assess which of the American families floating in the middle of the room was there for a common reason.  He gave a quick upward nod of acknowledgement and lift of the eyebrows.  It was an infinitesimal moment but one that I replay in my mind often.

Once we were called, we entered a small office-like room.  The judge sat behind a desk dressed in blue jeans and asked us approximately five questions in soft, Ethiopian-accented English.  Dave responded with simple yes and no answers, reluctant to respond in greater detail in case he had misunderstood the questions posed.  The entire appointment lasted little more than two minutes.  After returning to the waiting area, Duni, the Ethiopian director for AWAA, explained that the judge would be waiting for one more piece of documentation before approving our adoption.  This is common in Ethiopian adoptions and came as no surprise. 

Recently, all of the orphanages in the Southern part of Ethiopia were under investigation.  This was not necessarily due to specific concerns, but was in most cases a matter of process.  Shalom Orphanage, where our son was placed, is in this area.  In addition, Shalom is due to have their license renewed and the final letter of approval for our adoption will not be submitted until they have a current license.  It is our understanding that Shalom has passed their investigation and have been informed that they will receive their renewed license, but it is just a matter of time.  So we wait.

Upon returning to the guest house after our appointment, we were able to sit down at a table in the lobby with the guardian.  Job, one of our guides, acted as an interpreter as the guardian spoke both Amharic and Sidamigna, but not English.  We introduced Samantha and Toby and then dismissed them to our room while we took turns asking questions of each other.  He shared the little information he had about "C's" past and asked that we send him updates on occasion.  The visit was brief and at the end Dave shook his hand and thanked him for the care he had provided.  The guardian extended his hand to me as well, but I hugged him anyway.

Our next court date is scheduled for November 26.  We do not need to be present for any upcoming court appointments and will receive news through our agency if we "pass court" this time.  If this final piece of paperwork is not yet ready, we will receive another court date, most likely in December.  If it is ready, we will have the joy of officially calling him our own and finally be able to share pictures and a name.  Once we pass court, an Embassy appointment will be scheduled, which Dave will travel back to Ethiopia for and will bring our son home.

Side note:  Our flight from Frankfurt to Addis Ababa was aboard German owned Lufthansa Airlines.  Before exiting into the airport, the German flight attendant asked me if I planned to take any pictures while in Addis.  I answered that I was.  He then felt compelled to warn me that the "secret police" were everywhere and that I should be certain not to take any pictures near any government buildings.  While I appreciated his warning and had already been instructed that this was the case, I did not spend much time worrying about the "secret police."  While it would be nice to share some pictures from our court experience, the numerous young men with automatic weapons draped casually over their shoulders near any government building were enough to deter me from breaking this rule.

Going Home

We returned from Ethiopia last Sunday.  We managed to unpack a few of our things, but found ourselves crawling into bed early in the evening before the sun had set. Completely off-schedule and wide awake at 2:00 a.m., I had just finished making the morning coffee when we received a phone call from Dave's sister, Paula, with news that their father had passed away in the middle of the night. Within hours, we were back at the airport for flight number seven, destined for Dave's home state of Arizona.

While the get-togethers do not happen often enough due to the many miles, to be in the company of Dave's family is always a blessing, regardless of circumstance.  Dave and his sisters, Paula and Shelley, have a wonderful relationship based on mutual respect and a deep admiration for each other. Also in Arizona, Dave has two top-notch brother-in-laws, three charming nieces, and one handsome nephew. Poppa had good reason for the pride he possessed for his family.

Wednesday evening Shelley and Lee held an open house for family and friends in the Tempe area. Many of Poppa's childhood friends, his union electrician brothers, and family attended. All agreed it was a wonderful combination of remembrance, laughter, and tears.

Thursday morning, the three siblings and their families caravaned 138 miles to the small mountaintop town of Young, Arizona, where Poppa spent the last years of his life. A "Celebration of Life" was held at the family home of cousins Stan and Karen Marshall on their mountaintop acreage.

Family and friends gathered in blue jeans and boots around an outdoor fireplace in the cool mountain air. Samantha, Toby, and cousin Catherine began the ceremony by carrying up a wooden cross that a friend of Poppa's crafted for the occasion. Cousins Kelsey and Katelyn shared readings from the Old and New Testaments. Cousin Myron, a pastor from California, delivered a heartfelt message. Nieces led the gathering in "The Old Rugged Cross" and "Amazing Grace. "

Dave shared about his father as a teacher, not of things learned in books, but of things learned through his life experiences. Paula spoke about her father as a motivator, a provider, and his relationship with Christ. Shelley, the newly published author (proud sister-in-law had to throw that in there), recited a poem she wrote the night her father passed entitled "The Mountain".

The ceremony was uniquely wonderful and Poppa would have loved every thoughtful detail.  He would have loved the fact that his family traveled together up the long and winding dirt mountain roads.  He would have been thrilled when his children stopped to enjoy a few moments reminiscing at their grandparents cabin in Strawberry, Arizona.  He would have beamed at the sounds of the crackling fire, children playing in the background, and the horse whinnying at the most perfect moments.   It was a perfect, most appropriate way to celebrate the life of a man who deeply loved his family, his friends, and God's glorious outdoors.

The Sweetest Thing

Toby brought home the sweetest thing from school today.  As soon as he hopped off the bus, before he could even make it in the house, he gently lifted the most adorable bright orange jack-o-latern card from his backpack.  He held it proudly and said, "It's for my brother from my friends at school.  I'm going to take it to Ethiopia for him."  Thank you to Mrs. Hoppe and her precious third grade students.  Adorable.

Court Date!!

We didn't need to prove our patience for long. Shortly after my last post, we received our court date for November 4th!! On October 29th, in only 9 days, we are heading to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to meet our adorable little boy for the first time.

So here's the plan - or at least part of a plan:

We depart St. Louis on October 29 around noon and travel to Washington DC. From DC, we fly across the Atlantic to Frankfurt, Germany, arriving on the morning of October 30. From Germany we fly south, crossing over the Mediterranean Sea, and arrive in Addis Ababa at 6:35 pm. The total trip time, including 5 hours and 51 minutes for layovers, will have us at our destination in 22 hours and 41 minutes (hopefully). The kids are going to be sooo excited...for the first 45 minutes.

When we arrive at Bole International Airport in Addis, we will gather our luggage (hopefully) and pick up our visas. A staff member with America World Adoption Association will meet us at the airport, whom we will identify by the AWAA sign they will be holding. (I've always wanted to have someone holding a sign for me at the airport.) We will be taken to the Yebsabi Guest House, where we will stay during our trip along with four other families from the US who are also adopting through our agency.

We are still waiting on our itinerary for the seven days we will actually be in-country. Apparently, it is a little bit tricky to finalize plans for four families visiting a foreign country, all arriving and departing on different dates. However, we know that our court date is scheduled for Thursday, November 4, and we depart for home on Saturday, November 6.

We will also be able to meet "C" on Monday and will be able to spend time with him at the Transition Home throughout the week. I can't imagine what that first interaction will be like and try to stop myself from thinking about it too much. Before we leave we will have to say a temporary good-bye until Dave is allowed to return 5-8 weeks later for our embassy appointment. It will be during this second trip that Dave will bring "C" home to his anxiously awaiting new family.

AWAA will be coordinating other activities for us during our stay, including some sight-seeing and visits to nearby orphanages. I'll be sure to write a new post once we have the details. In the meanwhile, I'll be making lots of lists, packing a few suitcases, getting my ducks in a row, and breathing into a brown paper bag.

Not Yet

Earlier this week we received an e-mail from our adoption agency stating that court dates had been assigned for the first group of families that will be traveling to Ethiopia since court closed more than six weeks ago.  We were told each family on the list would be contacted with their travel details and that court dates were set for October 29. 

My heart started racing a little and I immediately grabbed the phone.  We were fairly certain we would be traveling in October, which meant one of those court dates was most likely for our family.

 Apparently, nobody else shared our plan and the phone did not ring.  Our timing is not God's timing, and God's perfect timing said, "Sorry, not yet." 

I have a complete sense of peace, however, about how everything will come together.  I feel no anxiety or trepidation about the upcoming months.  I know there will be many unforseen challenges and unexpected surprises in our future, but I have an amazing feeling of calm that everything will work out just as it is suppose to.

While we continue to wait, we do receive monthly updates from our adoption agency, AWAA.  These include a few pictures, general physical information (height, weight, etc.) and we are allowed to ask five questions each month.  We have received two updates so far, and while I cannot share the pictures until after we pass court, I can share some of the responses we received to our monthly update questions.  We also cannot share his name, so I have substituted "C" in it's place.

What is known about the region "C" came from?

"C" came from the SNNP region of the country which is located in the southern part of the country. It's called Sidama Zone and is a few kilometers from a city called Awassa. It's known for its diverse historical and cultural heritages and even their own calendar. But due to the high population density in the particular place, the people cannot share the resources in a fair and suitable way which makes the majority to be poor.

What language does "C" speak?

His mother tongue is Sidamigna but he can speak Amharic too.

 

What are some of his "favorites" (foods, color, toys)?

Animal toys, Injera and Red

 

What does he want us to know about him?

"C" wants his family to send him photos and to come and get him as soon as they can.

 

What does he like to play?

He plays different games but soccer is his favorite one.

 
How does he feel about having a new family?

He is very happy and eager to start living together.

 
What does he remember of his first family? Are they fond memories? Is there anything he wants to tell us?
He does not remember much from his first family; he really wants his family to come soon.

After seeing our photo album, what are his thoughts? Does he have any concerns?

He likes the pictures but no concerns he raised.

Is there anything he specifically does not like?

"C" does not like to have milk.

The next group of families to receive court dates should expect to travel in early to mid-November.  There are only two families that received their referral before us that continue to wait for their phone call.  We are hopeful that we will be included in this next travel group.  In the meantime, we will be plenty busy - loving fall, picking pumpkins, playing football, and putting together Halloween costumes after all.