A Re-Cap of our Adoption Journey!
In April of 2007 we announced our commitment to adopt from Ethiopia, and started the process with America World (our adoption agency). We then started all the paperwork, physicals, fingerprints, home study (with Wide Horizons), and everything else that goes with completing our dossier. It took us until Dec. 7, 2007 to complete our dossier. We decided to request a healthy child either sex under 24 months. From Dec. until July of 2008 we were waiting for a referral.
On July 18th we received our phone call from America World. They told us that they a had a beautiful baby boy. He was born on May 27, 2007. So he turned 15 months this last Wed. He is living in America World's Transition Home until we can go to Ethiopia and pick him up. We have a little story to share later about his name, but we have to wait until we pass court. After we pass court we can share his Ethiopian name and his photo.
On August 7, 2008 the Ethiopian Courts closed for two months for the rainy season. The courts will re-open in early Oct. We are scheduled for court after they open. This means that a power of attorney will represent our family in court. It is not uncommon for families to not pass court the first time, depending on when we pass will determine when we will travel. We have been told to plan on traveling the end of Oct. to mid November. Once we hear that we pass court we will travel in about two weeks. We will be gone for about a week. We should leave on Sat. and arrive in Addis Ababa (the capital of Ethiopia) on Sunday. We will then meet Daniel on Monday. We will spend 3-4 hours with him. We should get to pick him up on Tuesday and take him with us. On Wed. we will go to the US Embassy to get his Visa. Thursday is shopping and sightseeing. On Friday we head back to the US.
Along this adoption journey we have learned a lot, met many new friends, and grown as a family. We are very excited about the journey so far. We have so much more to learn. Through America World we have joined a Yahoo chat group of other families that are also adopting from Ethiopia. We chat with many of these families daily. We are learning from the ones who went before us, encouraged by all, and prayed for across the country. I can't even begin to share with you the prayers, fasting, verses and encouragement that are shared. The adoption journey is a long process that doesn't follow our time line, God has other plans and we have had to learn to trust him and wait on him. There have been many tears and bumps along the way. The most difficult being a baby girl passing away in the Transition Home because of pneumonia. She was referred to a family on July 29th. She went to heaven in August. We have all been there for each other. We have met a family in IN. that is a little behind us in the process. The Black family is in the top 10 waiting for a referral of a little girl. We have gotten together with the Steiger Family of NH several times. They have a beautiful little girl from Ethiopia. She turned one in July. We have enjoyed getting together with this family and have learned a lot from them.
Duringo this process people have been wonderful. We had a little concern from some in the beginning. Now people are very supportive and excited. We have had great support of our fund raiser. We have sold t-shirts, canvas bags, and peppermint patties. We have people donating money, and gifts for the transition home and the orphanages that we will be visiting. There is also a family at our church that has asked to have a baby shower for us. It is going to be on Sept. the 20th. We were able to go to Target and register today. We just can't begin to thank everyone enough for all the prayers and support during this journey. Thank you for following our story.
On July 18th we received our phone call from America World. They told us that they a had a beautiful baby boy. He was born on May 27, 2007. So he turned 15 months this last Wed. He is living in America World's Transition Home until we can go to Ethiopia and pick him up. We have a little story to share later about his name, but we have to wait until we pass court. After we pass court we can share his Ethiopian name and his photo.
On August 7, 2008 the Ethiopian Courts closed for two months for the rainy season. The courts will re-open in early Oct. We are scheduled for court after they open. This means that a power of attorney will represent our family in court. It is not uncommon for families to not pass court the first time, depending on when we pass will determine when we will travel. We have been told to plan on traveling the end of Oct. to mid November. Once we hear that we pass court we will travel in about two weeks. We will be gone for about a week. We should leave on Sat. and arrive in Addis Ababa (the capital of Ethiopia) on Sunday. We will then meet Daniel on Monday. We will spend 3-4 hours with him. We should get to pick him up on Tuesday and take him with us. On Wed. we will go to the US Embassy to get his Visa. Thursday is shopping and sightseeing. On Friday we head back to the US.
Along this adoption journey we have learned a lot, met many new friends, and grown as a family. We are very excited about the journey so far. We have so much more to learn. Through America World we have joined a Yahoo chat group of other families that are also adopting from Ethiopia. We chat with many of these families daily. We are learning from the ones who went before us, encouraged by all, and prayed for across the country. I can't even begin to share with you the prayers, fasting, verses and encouragement that are shared. The adoption journey is a long process that doesn't follow our time line, God has other plans and we have had to learn to trust him and wait on him. There have been many tears and bumps along the way. The most difficult being a baby girl passing away in the Transition Home because of pneumonia. She was referred to a family on July 29th. She went to heaven in August. We have all been there for each other. We have met a family in IN. that is a little behind us in the process. The Black family is in the top 10 waiting for a referral of a little girl. We have gotten together with the Steiger Family of NH several times. They have a beautiful little girl from Ethiopia. She turned one in July. We have enjoyed getting together with this family and have learned a lot from them.
Duringo this process people have been wonderful. We had a little concern from some in the beginning. Now people are very supportive and excited. We have had great support of our fund raiser. We have sold t-shirts, canvas bags, and peppermint patties. We have people donating money, and gifts for the transition home and the orphanages that we will be visiting. There is also a family at our church that has asked to have a baby shower for us. It is going to be on Sept. the 20th. We were able to go to Target and register today. We just can't begin to thank everyone enough for all the prayers and support during this journey. Thank you for following our story.
Comments
Guess who I met tonight at Salem? MICHELLE! Her son and Kole are going to be in pre-K together (and she offered--thanks, Jesus and Michelle--to take him to daycare when I sub on Thursdays). I sure wish your little man could be there, too :) When are you coming again for a little Midwest lovin'?
Love, Danielle