WHAT'S TAKING SO LONG ?

I try to practice patience as most will read in my previous blogs, but today I can't say that I'm not disappointed:-(. The weekly report from my agency is that there are NO referrals to report! You would think with 6 orphanages on the team and plenty of children needing forever families that the process would be consistent. I guess it it is consistently SLOW! My agency and most that work with Ethiopia is very ethical. So, I understand the all t's must me crossed and all i's must be dotted but my goodness, I never imagined it to be like this! My prayers and comfort go out to those families that have been waiting since August 08'. Keep your head up. It's going to happen soon. The good news is that court dates are coming in and a couple of families actually passed on the first try, congratulations! Our director gave some good advice to help ease the sting of the wait. She said to complete your child's room, learn some Amharic or even learn to cook some Ethiopian food. I'm going to try to do all of the above. To tell you the truth I don't feel the pressure of the wait until I hear others talk about it. So sometimes I have to take a break from any adoption talk at all.

Oh, I had one of my crazy adoption dreams again. I'm in a room and someone gives me the wrong child! I know it was the wrong child because the kid was 3 years old and my child will be an infant. Instead of accepting the mistake and loving the child as my own, like I usually do in the other dreams, I go looking for the person in charge to tell them that they made a mistake. " I was approved for an infant!" I tell her. I start pointing out other baby girls that haven't been matched, asking what's the deal? Why not her or her? Anyways, weird right? I've had some strange ones...I guess it's what I've heard people refer to as "adoption hormones." Have you or anyone you know every experienced this?

The Number Nine Is Fine!

Today marks our ninth month of waiting for a referral. I'm happy that we've come this far in the process. When we first started, the wait was four months, then 6, 10...I don't know what their saying the wait is now. Someone mentioned 13 months. I know that it will happen in His perfect timing, so there really is no rush that I feel. What is affecting me is not knowing the time. I am a planner and I like to know what I will be doing and when I will be doing it and who I will be doing it with. I have questions...like what the weather will be like when we travel to Ethiopia. What size baby clothes to buy, you know the basics. But it's all good, it's part of the experience. I feel blessed to go through it and have these feelings and emotions to share with my daughter so she knows that she was much anticipated, loved and planned for. So I work with what I have and I leave the rest to God. I'm trying to stay focused on the assignment in front of me. Although people and circumstances try to steal my attention with foolishness, I quickly re-focus my attention on God and the assignment. Who cares if folks don't understand that you can't give your time and attention to this or that, they are entitled to their opinions. Because that is all it is...opinion, not fact! As long as I/we focus on staying with in the PERFECT will of God we will be just fine, as fine as the number nine!

PS. we got the crib a couple weeks ago and yesterday I got the travel system and found a chic diaper bag to boot! The diaper bag is usually on the high end ($299) but I was blessed to get it for $59 with a free tote! Getting a deal is always fun.

Finding Treasures 2

Here is another treasure that I found a few years back before I even started the adoption proccess. It's a children's book by Blu Greenburg an Ethiopian Jew. This is an interesting children's book about King Solomon and Queen Makeda. It's beautifuly illustrated and even came with paper dolls to play dress-up. I think I got mine from amazon. com but Barnes and Nobles has it too.

Finding Treasures

I bought this doll a year or so ago as a collectors item for my daughter( the one on the way) It's beautifully made and is a regal image of the history of Ethiopia. From what I remember, the clothing was actually made in the country. The doll is so detailed...even showing the tattooing around her neck that was common in that region and time. Mine came with a book and CD. Now you can special order her crown. I'll be calling to get that soon, what's royalty with out a crown right. www.ethiodolls.com for those of you who are interested in collecting this doll. It was only fitting for me because I have a doll that represents Jamaica (my husbands Mother) complete with knitted Kufi hat, braids, beads and all. I also have a doll that represents Trinidad (my parents homeland) outfitted with a beautiful black red and gold sari. Adorned with henna tattooing on her hands and all. The Queen Makeda Doll is a welcome addition to the bunch. I'm proud of my heritage and I want to fuse my daughters rich heritage with my own. It's interesting that some of the Ethiopian culture resembles my own. For example: Injera (bread) has a similar concept to Roti (bread) We stuff roti with yummy stuff like curry chicken and potatoes and they use injera to pick up the food and eat it, using no utensils...just fingers, like us. And the most treasured finding so far is that I found out my mother's name, great grandmother's name and several other females in my family are named "Keren". I've never met anyone other than my family members with the name "Keren". Well one day CHI announced that they were cleared to facilitate humanitarian work out of Tigray a northern region in Ethiopia. So I decided to do some research on the northern regions and to my surprise there is an area called "Keren"! Come to find out Keren is not so uncommon of a name in Ethiopia. What a connection! What an Honor! Who knows what else God will lead me to learn about myself and my precious Jewel.

Oh yes we nest.

Nesting is an urge that most pregnant women get, starting around the 5 month of pregnancy. An overwhelming feeling to get the house in order. Cleaning, completing projects, putting together baby's crib... I had this feeling with all three of my pregnancies. Lately I've been feeling the same urge. Cleaning, wanting everything to stay perfect for the baby. God forbid the referral call comes and there are dishes in the sink! So for all you POP's out there (pregnant on paper) You're not the only one that's obsessed about preparing for your child. We're not only POP we are pregnant in our bodies too. Your heart is where this child was conceived and is growing, right? So go with it. Don't deprive yourself of the adoption experience. I was fighting the urge because I didn't want to be disappointed, but my S.W. encouraged me to nest. She explained that whether the baby comes now or later...she's coming! And when she does I'll be ready.

PS. Yipee! courts have re-opened. This means that those who have been waiting on their day in court, it's coming soon. I hope that you will all pass court the FIRST time around and that you will be united with you're children soon. CHI reported 2 referrals to 1 family today. Congratulations to them all !