Forever and Always

Brothers and Sisters

2012-01-27T19:42:00.000-08:00

Meskie has been home 6 months now. To sum up how our family has adjusted? We feel so lucky. Lucky that Meskie has attached to us, is loving, kind-hearted, and has a personality that fits right in with her siblings. She has gone through so much in her short little life...and is one strong cookie. I find myself reflecting on the role her brothers and sister have played in how well she's adjusted. It's a huge part of why she's doing so well.

I wasn't concerned about Etta's adjustment to/with Meskie....she has the most easy-going personality of any child I know. Not to mention the connection the two of them had as sisters in Ethiopia. Clearly that bond never went away despite the 1 1/2 years they were separated.

But I wasn't entirely sure how the boys would adjust to their sister, an almost 5 year old who came home needing the majority of mom and dad's attention. If Etta was going to be any indicator, they would love with an open heart. And they did. They love their newest sister to pieces. I could not have asked for more when it comes to my boys opening their arms to Meskie. They are such awesome brothers to her. And I believe the love Meskie feels from Etta, Spencer and Blake is a huge part of the reason why her transition to this family has gone so amazingly well. I could not feel more grateful.

Lucky we are.
(this photo gives you a glimpse into Meskie's spirit :-)

Take My Picture Mom

2012-01-13T19:22:00.000-08:00

At three years old, Etta seems a little too comfortable with having her picture taken if you ask me...:-)

Sweetness.

1st Christmas Through the Eyes of a 5 Year Old

2011-12-27T22:02:00.000-08:00

One year ago today, we saw Meskie's face for the first time. We had known about her being in an orphanage for a couple months but had anxiously awaited the news that her paperwork was complete so we could officially begin the process to adopt her. It's hard to believe it's been a year. She's been home 5 months now and we really are in awe at how well she's adjusted. She is happy, loving, kind, smart, spirited. She takes life by the horns...seemingly not intimidated by anything. So it was no surprise she loved every second when it came to the holidays.

It's been pretty awesome to experience so many firsts with a child who is older. Christmas was pretty magical this year. Did Meskie celebrate Christmas in Ethiopia? She very likely celebrated Genna, Ethiopian Christmas which is celebrated in early January. Genna does not have Santa, nor Christmas trees, nor Christmas stories, nor gifts. So there were a lot of firsts this Christmas. And she loved every last one of them. Including Santa.

The other kids helped her understand what to expect. They filled in the gaps by telling her what's coming. And the build up was crazy this year. For some reason we got everything kicked off early, including the tree, seeing Santa, Christmas movies/shows, making cookies, and various festivities. She was excited about it all. So when we were finally down to single digits for our count down to Christmas, she could hardly contain herself...literally, she would jump into our arms and squeal saying Santa, Santa, Santa!

So what was it really like Christmas morning? Pure joy. By all.

The cool thing is that the kids were genuinely appreciative of what they got. Much to be thankful for this Christmas.

A Special Bond

2011-12-05T21:54:00.001-08:00

A sister is a little bit of childhood that can never be lost. ~Marion C. Garretty

I am so thankful for the bond these two share. It's that type of bond difficult to put into words...they are happy to just be together. It is such a rarity to hear any dissension between them. They laugh. They share. They hold each other up. They dance. They smile. They hug. They understand each other...even when they didn't speak the same language. They are playmates. They never tire of each other.

They love their brothers dearly and they are all close with each other. But there is a special bond between these two which I believe is a result of their shared background, culture, experiences, trauma, looks, memories. I know there may be times when they don't always get along this well, but I believe they will always share a special bond. And I will never underestimate the power of that bond as they grow through life together.

I can't tell you how lucky I feel as Meskie has begun to share her childhood stories with us. To see Etta's face light up to hear of how Meskie would carry her on her back (at the ripe old age of 3). It was clear she looked after her little sister until she last saw her and has now resumed that role. She's helping complete Etta's story. I am so grateful.

I sometimes find myself in disbelief at what has transpired this past year. It was only one year ago that we thought our family of five was complete. But little did we know, there was a little girl just waiting for us to come bring her home too. Waiting to see her sister again. They have found each other and through that, have reclaimed some of their childhood....building more memories each day. Happiness.

Our Experience in Bringing Home an Older Child

2011-11-28T22:00:00.001-08:00

When it comes to other adoptive families, I am most often asked about Meskie’s adjustment and what challenges we have faced since she was older when coming home to us. I believe every single situation is unique. Each child comes home with different experiences, different levels of trauma, and for older children, different expectations of what life is like in America. Each family is different too. Some parents have prepared themselves for challenges and expect the transition to be more challenging for an older child. Some families have children already in the home to help ease, or in some cases make more difficult, the transition. I say this because there are so many dynamics and variables that impact how the adjustment home will go. And I think much of it is outside our control as parents. We’re all just doing the best we can to support our kids.

In our case, Meskie has adjusted amazingly well. That's not to say there haven't been challenges.....but Meskie’s personality has helped tremendously in her transition, as well as our bonding with her. She is a very happy child. She is also very loving and affectionate. She is outgoing and strong-willed. At times this has made the transition more challenging, but oh am I so glad for it. It’s her confidence and that strong-willed personality which has gotten her so far and will serve her well throughout her life. Overall, I really do marvel at how well she has adjusted…..we have bonded with each other, we love her, and our life together feels blessed. But it’s been a journey. When I reflect back on even that first month home as compared to now (4 months home), the change is significant.

When Meskie first came home, language was the biggest challenge. We had learned some of her language, but it was not one we could easily learn. She knew just a little Amharic so we were limited in what we or our Ethiopian friends could communicate with her. She knew only a handful of English words. When Ryan spent a couple weeks with her in Addis waiting for the Embassy appointment, they each learned some words to communicate basic needs. But it was very limited. I truly can’t imagine coming to a new life, where your whole world has been turned upside in every aspect, and you can’t communicate well with those around you. I know some of the meltdowns we experienced during the first month home was directly related to her feeling frustrated with not being able to communicate her feelings, wants, needs, etc. Overall though, she was really great at finding a way to communicate with us. She mimicked and acted like crazy (and still does).

I believe the other main reason she would have multiple meltdowns that first month or so home was due to us setting some boundaries. I had heard this from others, as well as my Ethiopian friends, and it was true…most young Ethiopian children have not been faced with boundaries in their life. They are free to go off and play and essentially do their own thing, what they want, when, etc. This was apparent to us very quickly. So things like not wanting to come in from playing outside all day (she would run away laughing). Or not wanting to go to bed at night. She basically wanted the freedom to do what she wanted. And of course everything was so new and exciting so it was hard for her to transition to anything else. We were mindful of what boundaries we chose. So we had to explain to the other kids that during this transition, there may be things Meskie was allowed to do that they were not. And this was only because she was learning how to live with us, etc. Thankfully they seemed to get it.

As time went on, things would gradually get easier and easier. She seemed to accept and trust what it was like to be a part of the family…that if she was asked to come inside, she’d get to go out again later. Or if I didn’t let her take her 5^h bath of the day, she’d get another one tomorrow. Or if we made her go to bed at night, she’d wake up and get to do all the fun stuff she wanted to again. It was important for us to maintain some structure, be clear on expectations, and be consistent. And most of all, we tried to always come from a place of love with her so she learned to feel secure.

I also think our other kids were huge in helping her adjust to her new life. They adored her from the beginning and were really caretakers of her. Etta in particular has had an enormously positive influence in terms of how well Meskie has adjusted. Meskie had been waiting for so long to be reunited with her. And to come home to her sister, who she always loved so much, a sister who was settled in her life here, and was happy… who adored her too and was so happy to have her older sister home with her. They are so good together. That's a whole other post for a later time....

One thing I had tried to prepare for, but it's still difficult, is the grieving your child will no doubt experience. And babies grieve to. But it is very different to support a child through their grief when they are conscious of their feelings and can communcate with you. And we have been lucky because she feels secure enough to share openly about her feelings.

So here we are just 4 months home and I count my lucky stars every day. Meskie is happy and seems to love us as her family. Her English language is really amazing….she is speaking in full sentences and it’s rare that we don’ t understand what she says. And she understands the vast majority of what we say. I never imagined we could communicate so well with each other in such a short timeframe.

Her behavioral meltdowns are now far and few between and usually short-lived. In fact, I don’t think they are really any different than what we might see from our other 5 year old. She is awesome at communicating her wants and needs. She seems to just fit right into our family dynamic. She is not the least bit timid…tries everything. Has very, very few inhibitions and just seems to take life by the horns. She is one special girl.

So for those of you waiting to bring home your older child, or thinking about adopting an older child, look at the adjustment as a journey. A journey that may be easier and shorter for some or a longer journey that may test you to the core. But you are on the journey together and you will get through it together.

A little over a year ago I thought our family was complete. And then we learned of Meskie. And now we can’t imagine our lives without her.

How Can He Be 5?

2011-11-15T22:57:00.001-08:00

I'm am so conscious these days about how fast time seems to fly by. How is Blake already five? Amidst the chaos, I find myself willing time to slow down.

Our Blake is full of passion.

Loving. Nurturing. Smart. Funny. Handsome. Kind-hearted. Intense. Determined.

Anyone who knows him understands why a visit from the Reptile Man was the perfect Birthday for him. Happy Birthday sweet boy. We love you beyond words.

Your Questions

2011-11-09T23:00:00.000-08:00

Thanks to everyone who posted on my blog or Facebook about continuing my blog. I will definitely keep it going but struggle sometimes with finding topics to post. So I'm asking you...what do you want to know? Any specific questions about transition or adjustment? The Wait? The current challengs facing adoptions in Ethiopia? Only a few things are off-limits so tell me what you want to know and I'll give you straight answers. Promise.

Happy 3rd Birthday Sweet Girl!

2011-11-06T23:06:00.000-08:00

I can't believe Etta is 3. She's growing up too fast for me. I reflect back on when we brought her home and can't believe how much she's changed. She's been home almost 18 months and it feels like she's always been a part of our family. I struggle to find the words to describe my love for her. I count my blessings every day that I get to be her mom. She is a shining star to everyone who meets her.

Beautiful. Smart. Loving. Caring. Funny. Fun. This girl truly sparkles.

Happy Birthday to a daughter who makes life sweeter.

Wanting to Hear From You

2011-10-25T23:27:00.000-07:00

Sorry it's been so long since I posted. Life certainly has become more busy since bringing Meskie home, now that we have 4 kids between ages 3 and 6. I started this blog as a journaling of our adoption journey. It was a way to keep others informed, and I love the thought of our kids having it as a resource to reflect on this time in our lives. But I struggle with finding the time to blog. I feel like the only way I'll feel motivated to regularly blog is if it might serve a larger purpose. And that's where I want to hear from you. If I stopped blogging tomorrow, would you miss it? I ask this not looking for support because you think that's what I want to hear. I'm honestly looking to find out whether this blog has inspired you, touched you, connected with you, or caused you to look deeper into adoption (good or bad).

I don't plan to stop blogging altogether. But if I continue to dedicate time to this blog, I want it to be meaningful to you. What are you interested in hearing about? Are there things that I can share about our journey that will help in yours? I also struggle with having such personal information so public so have considered whether to make it private.

As for a quick update on life as a family of 6, I really do thank my lucky stars every day. I look at these two girls who have been through more than we could ever imagine and feel so lucky we get to raise them. The joyfulness shines through them. Meskie has been home almost 3 months now and has adjusted beautifully. And believe me, that's not to say there haven't been any challenges, but there is love, affection, happiness, and a peacefulness that we're all together.

We can't imagine our lives without her. And yet there have been so many what-if's, the last being if we hadn't passed court when we did, realizing the possibility that we may have never been able to re-unite these two sisters (due to the instability of the Ethiopia program right now). I think of my friends who are still in limbo on whether the children they love and hold in their hearts will ever come home to them (I believe they will).

And so we are thankful. We are thankful for our 4 kids who totally dig each other. Yeah...definitely counting our blessings.

2 months home - 5 years old!

2011-09-27T21:35:00.000-07:00

It's pretty awesome to reflect on Meskie's adjustment in the last two months. We are lucky. It's not been without challenges (to be expected), but she's happy and incredibly loving and seems to feel much more secure about everything. We are all settling in to life as a family of six.

Happy Birthday to our sweet M. You are loving, smart, determined, playful and oh so loved.

Our family is finally complete.

Guest Blogger - Ask5for5

2011-09-19T07:12:00.000-07:00

Guest Blogger: Sarah Lenssen from #Ask5for5
Family photos by Mike Fiechtner Photography

Thank you Cami and nearly 150 other bloggers from around the world for allowing me to share a story with you today, during Social Media Week.

A hungry child in East Africa can't wait. Her hunger consumes her while we decide if we'll respond and save her life. In Somalia, children are stumbling along for days, even weeks, on dangerous roads and with empty stomachs in search of food and water. Their crops failed for the third year in a row. All their animals died. They lost everything. Thousands are dying along the road before they find help in refugee camps.

At my house, when my three children are hungry, they wait minutes for food, maybe an hour if dinner is approaching. Children affected by the food crisis in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia aren't so lucky. Did you know that the worst drought in 60 years is ravaging whole countries right now, as you read this? Famine, a term not used lightly, has been declared in Somalia. This is the world's first famine in 20 years.12.4 million people are in need of emergency assistance and over 29,000 children have died in the last three months alone. A child is dying every 5 minutes. It it estimated that 750,000 people could die before this famine is over. Take a moment and let that settle in.

The media plays a major role in disasters. They have the power to draw the attention of society to respond--or not. Unfortunately, this horrific disaster has become merely a footnote in most national media outlets. News of the U.S. national debt squabble and the latest celebrity's baby bump dominate headlines. That is why I am thrilled that nearly 150 bloggers from all over the world are joining together today to use the power of social media to make their own headlines; to share the urgent need of the almost forgotten with their blog readers. Humans have the capacity to care deeply for those who are suffering, but in a situation like this when the numbers are too huge to grasp and the people so far away, we often feel like the little we can do will be a drop in the ocean, and don't do anything at all.

When news of the famine first hit the news in late July, I selfishly avoided it. I didn't want to read about it or hear about it because I knew I would feel overwhelmed and uncomfortable. I wanted to protect myself. I knew I would need to do something if I knew what was really happening. You see, this food crisis is personal. I have a 4-year-old son and a 1 yr-old daughter who were adopted from Ethiopia and born in regions now affected by the drought. If my children still lived in their home villages, they would be two of the 12.4 million. My children: extremely hungry and malnourished? Gulp. I think any one of us would do anything we could for our hungry child. But would you do something for another mother's hungry child?

My friend and World Vision staffer, Jon Warren, was recently in Dadaab Refugee Camp in Kenya--the largest refugee camp in the world with over 400,000 people. He told me the story of Isnino Siyat, 22, a mother who walked for 10 days and nights with her husband, 1 yr-old-baby, Suleiman, and 4 yr.-old son Adan Hussein, fleeing the drought in Somalia. When she arrived at Dadaab, she built the family a shelter with borrowed materials while carrying her baby on her back. Even her dress is borrowed. As she sat in the shelter on her second night in camp she told Jon, "I left because of hunger. It is a very horrible drought which finished both our livestock and our farm." The family lost their 5 cows and 10 goats one by one over 3 months, as grazing lands dried up. "We don't have enough food now...our food is finished. I am really worried about the future of my children and myself if the situation continues."

Will you help a child like Baby Suleiman? Ask5for5 is a dream built upon the belief that you will.

That something I knew I would need to do became a campaign called #Ask5for5 to raise awareness and funds for famine and drought victims. The concept is simple, give $5 and ask five of your friends to give $5, and then they each ask five of their friends to give $5 and so on--in nine generations of 5x5x5...we could raise $2.4 Million! In one month, over 750 people have donated over $25,000! I set up a fundraiser at See Your Impact and 100% of the funds will go to World Vision, an organization that has been fighting hunger in the Horn of Africa for decades and will continue long after this famine has ended. Donations can multiply up to 5 times in impact by government grants to help provide emergency food, clean water, agricultural support, healthcare, and other vital assistance to children and families suffering in the Horn.

I need you to help me save lives. It's so so simple; here's what you need to do:

Donate $5 or more on this page (http://seeyourimpact.org/members/ask5for5)
Send an email to your friends and ask them to join us.
Share #Ask5for5 on Facebook and Twitter!

I'm looking for another 100 bloggers to share this post on their blogs throughout Social Media Week. Email me at ask5for5@gmail.com if you're interested in participating this week.

A hungry child doesn't wait. She doesn't wait for us to finish the other things on our to-do list, or get to it next month when we might have a little more money to give. She doesn't wait for us to decide if she's important enough to deserve a response. She will only wait as long as her weakened little body will hold on...please respond now and help save her life. Ask 5 for 5.

Thank you on behalf of all of those who will be helped--you are saving lives and changing history.

p.s. Please don't move on to the next website before you donate and email your friends right now. It only takes 5 minutes and just $5, and if you're life is busy like mine, you probably won't get back to it later. Let's not be a generation that ignores hundreds of thousands of starving people, instead let's leave a legacy of compassion. You have the opportunity to save a life today!

Off to School We Go!

2011-09-15T21:16:00.000-07:00

Thank you faithful readers for staying tuned even though I haven't blogged in a while. Just getting settled into life as a family of six. Can't believe summer vacation is over. Spencer is in 1st grade now and while I'm excited for him in so many ways, I find myself missing him when he's gone all day.

The "twins" are in preschool 3 days/week for a few hours. Meskerem is enjoying school and it certainly has helped that her brother is right there with her. Preschool is on a farm so what's not to love?

And just so Etta wouldn't miss her posse too much on their first day back to school, mama took her to get her nails done (I know...starting way too soon but she was on cloud nine!).

Together...We Can Save Lives

2011-09-01T21:59:00.000-07:00

At least 300,000 children are at risk of dying in the Horn of Africa. Our girls were born in the area affected by the extreme drought. If you've not yet become involved, I have the perfect thing. Ask5for5. Donate $5 and ask 5 of your friends to do the same. My dear friend, Sarah, started it and it's already raised over $20,000 with 100% of the proceeds going directly to World Vision's efforts in the impacted areas. Read more about this cause here.

Please consider making a donation and then spreading the word. Together, we really can save lives.

One month home!

2011-08-29T23:58:00.000-07:00

It's crazy to think Meskie has been home a month already. It's amazing how much has happened in that time. She continues to be really happy, loving, affectionate. Feeling lucky with how well bonding and attachment is going. The melt downs are far and few between now. I think she just feels much more secure. And then the verbal communication has gotten so much better. We had learned some key words in her native language but it still was difficult explaining situations to her. And she didn't know any english. She is understanding (and speaking) more and more english each day.

She's already experienced so much since coming home. And she seems to love every minute of adventure. She's a go-getter and fits right in with her brothers and sister. This is the most cliche-sounding thing, but it really was all meant to be. I know that without a doubt.

Ask 5 for 5 - You Can Make A Difference

2011-08-18T07:04:00.000-07:00

guest blogger: Sarah Lenssen from Ask5for5
photos courtesy of Cate Turton / Dept. for International Development

First, thanks to Cami for allowing me to post on her blog today! Today, more than 25 bloggers, including this one, are standing with me to Ask 5 for 5 for Africa. Here's why....

I began pursuing a BIG dream two weeks ago. After deciding I could no longer avoid the news about the famine in the horn of Africa, I had that gut feeling that I couldn't sit this one out. I HAD to do something because I could. Something bigger than I could do alone. That's when #Ask5for5 was born.

Two of my children, Ashen and Bereket, were adopted and are from the region affected by the drought in Ethiopia. They would be two of the statistics if they still lived there. I see my son’s and daughter’s faces in the photos of those suffering in the refugee camps. It could have been him. It could have been her. The thought haunts me.

And moms just like us are watching their children go hungry day after day. I can't imagine what it's like, but I have to –I have to be there to help them, because it could have been my children. These families have lost their livestock, their crops, food prices are inflated at the market if there any food there, and don’t have any more lifelines to tap into. Many are traveling hundreds of miles through parched land in hope of finding help. Many are dying along the way. It is estimated that 29,000 children have died in the last 90 days in the famine in Somalia alone.

But I KNOW we can do something about it. Instead of feeling overwhelmed and paralyzed, we can rally ourselves and our friends to respond! I set up a fundraiser through See Your Impact. 100% of your gift will go to the relief and development organization World Vision, where it will be combined with government grants to multiply up to 5 times in impact!

You’ll receive updates on just how your funding is being used to help save lives affected by famine in East Africa. I'm amazed at how much we've raised already -- over $7,000 in just four days! We blew through our first 3 goals in just 3 days and are well on our way to $10,000 and beyond!

I need you to help me save lives. It's so so simple; here's what you need to do:

Donate $5 or more on this page (http://seeyourimpact.org/members/ask5for5)
Send an email to your friends and ask them to join us.
Share Ask5for5 on Facebook and Twitter, and join our page to stay updated too!

I'm also looking for 100 bloggers to stand with Ask5for5 to spread the word during Social Media week, September 19th - 23rd. If you're interested, email me, ask5for5@gmail.com.

A Bright Soul

2011-08-15T23:33:00.000-07:00

I can't believe Meskie has already been home a couple weeks. We are settling into life as a family of six. Meskerem is happy. affectionate. loving. She shines just like her sister. Bonding and attachment is going great. We all love her so much. People often ask how the adjustment is going with bringing home an older child. We feel really lucky with how well it's been going. That's not to say there haven't been any behavioral challenges. She's 4 1/2, been through more than we can imagine in her short life, not to mention the language barrier. It's also clear she hadn't experienced many boundaries. I tell people it has been a bit like having a strong-willed toddler in the house. Testing to see how we'll respond. All to be expected.

And it's amazing the difference even two weeks makes. Far fewer tantrums and testing (she's able to communicate and we're able to understand basic needs) and we're falling into a routine. She seems to feel secure. My Ethiopian friends are able to communicate well with her and she understands this is her home, that she will not change homes again, and that we love her very much. She says she is happy here.

As for the kids...so far everyone seems to still be in the honeymoon phase. Adoring her. I know it's only a matter of time before sibling rivalry will kick in but for now I'll soak this in.

And as for Etta and Meskie, they are two peas in a pod. Loving life together.

The Reunion

2011-07-31T14:27:00.000-07:00

As Etta says, "My Meskerem's home." Yes she is babe. It's difficult to put into words the last few days since Meskerem arrived home. We waited so long for this day. There were times when I wondered if it would really happen. Would we be able to reunite Meskerem with her younger sister. Would we really bring home the daughter we've been longing for since the day we saw her sweet face. Would we be able to show her that she has two brothers who adore her already even though they've not yet met her. Would we be able to show her that despite her heartache, she has a whole family waiting to love all over her.

We made it. Our wait is over. We are happy. She is happy. That's not to say there won't be challenges. But we are a family. Meskerem is home forever.

Happiness.

First time riding a tricycle..didn't take her long!
(*update...a couple hours after posting this she rode a bike!)

Driving the jeep.

Hanging with her siblings.

Eating ice cream for the first time...not a fan.

Brothers capitalizing that she's not a fan.

She decided to follow Dad's suggestion and smash it in their face! :-)

Loves the slip 'n slide. Loves water period.

These two have a bond that won't be broken.
We could not feel more blessed to be able to raise them together.

Coming Home! Introducing...

2011-07-27T20:34:00.000-07:00

Meet our daughter, Meskerem.

Her daddy is bringing her home as I type this. We are so happy. Those of you who know me know I'm not one to gush, but I'll say it - I love my husband so much. He's an amazing dad and amazing husband (how cool is it that your daughter is coming home on your wedding anniversary?).

It should be one great reunion with her sister. Our family is complete.

Chatting with Sister

2011-07-20T19:30:00.000-07:00

A lot of "I love you's" and "See you soon's" by all. Counting down the days...

Cleared for Take-Off!

2011-07-13T11:25:00.000-07:00

We're bringing M home!! We heard from the Embassy early this morning that we've been cleared to travel. Best news in the world. It looks like we should probably get an appointment date of August 1. This means we would be home with sweet M by August 4!

Pinch me.

Update - Still No Clearance

2011-07-11T20:52:00.000-07:00

So our agency resubmitted the documents needing corrections but then we heard from the Embassy Friday a.m. that there was yet another document that needed a correction. I know our agency isn't known for paperwork errors and I understand mistakes happen, but I'm pretty frustrated they can't seem to get it right for our case and it is causing a big delay in us bringing M home. The Embassy confirmed that they are booked the rest of July so we are already to early August for an appointment date. And that's assuming we get clearance soon, which isn't a given.

A lot of big time stuff has been happening regarding an orphanage our agency partners with. Right now some families are having the legal status of their children questioned by the Ethiopian government. My heart aches for these families and children and I hope there are some truthful answers soon.

All this puts our wait into perspective. That said, until we have our daughter home, I will feel anxious about whether the current situation may potentially cause further delays in bringing M home. It's doubtful, but at this point anything is possible.

I pray she feels loved, and knows her family is coming for her soon. These 3 kiddos are wanting their sister home.

Embassy News - No Clearance Yet

2011-07-06T22:07:00.000-07:00

So we did finally get news today but it's not the news we wanted to hear. The Embassy has requested corrections to a couple documents. Essentially, as I understand, some basic paperwork errors were made by our agency staff in Ethiopia. That is why we haven't been granted clearance. Argh!!!

We have not heard back yet on the timing for re-submitting these documents but it better be soon. Once they are re-submitted, we believe we should receive clearance fairly quickly. That said, due to the Embassy being short-staffed in July, it's possible we won't get an appointment date until August.

We are so disappointed since we think we'd already be traveling to bring her home if it weren't for the paperwork errors.

Hoping and praying for good news soon.

No News - But Pictures!

2011-07-05T21:27:00.000-07:00

Nope...no travel clearance from the Embassy. Today marks 2 weeks since being submitted and I can't believe we haven't heard a thing. Most families receive clearance in under a week unless the Embassy is going to review/investigate your case further. If they decide to, they usually let families know that shortly after submission. We are just looking for answers. Unfortunately, even if we get clearance soon, we are likely looking at an appointment date in August due to the Embassy slowdown (under-staffing of Embassy personnel in July). That seems like an eternity to wait.

In the meantime, here's what keeps me smiling....

Waiting

2011-06-27T06:30:00.000-07:00

We still haven't received clearance from the Embassy. I had hoped and thought we'd hear by now since the last group submitted from our agency heard within a couple days. But that's the problem with setting expectations on something you have zero control over.

We also know that as of last week, those families cleared weren't getting Embassy appointments until mid-July. So it would appear the rumored Embassy slowdown (due to staffing changes and vacation) has gone into effect. The bottom line...we won't be traveling as soon as we had hoped. Just staying focused on the fact that she will be hear soon. Perhaps not as soon as we'd like, but soon.

Oh Happy Day!

2011-06-21T12:09:00.000-07:00

Thanks everyone for your thoughts and prayers...today our case was submitted to the US Embassy! Tears of joy. So now we wait for the Embassy to review our case and grant us clearance to travel. That can take anywhere from a couple days to a few weeks. Typically it's been 1-2 weeks.

This is it...the last step in the journey to bring home M!

Doting On Her

2011-06-20T21:18:00.000-07:00

Etta gets some serious love from her big brothers. They adore her. Today I found Spencer putting ice on an "owie" she got while reading her a book at the same time. Blake tells her all sorts of sweet-nothings and is the most attentive four year old I know. Lots of "I love you Etta." Today it was "I love you all the way up to the moon in outer space." And boy does she soak up all that lovin'.

These two have become quite the buddies while Spencer is at kindergarten. They are serious playmates. They love to catch insects (or in this case salamanders) together.

And of course she gets all sorts of love from her papa.

It will be interesting to see how Etta feels about sharing all the attention with her sister. I am confident there is plenty to go around.

Feel free to say a little prayer when you go to sleep tonight that we move closer to bringing M home. While we sleep, we hope our case is submitted to the Embassy. Lots of arms waiting to hug her.

Tuesday Disappointment

2011-06-14T22:13:00.000-07:00

We were not submitted to Embassy today. Our agency is only allowed to submit cases once/week and it's on Tuesdays. Tuesday is also the day our agency hears from the staff in Ethiopia on anything that happened the prior week. So we look to next Tuesday.

I knew all along that if we had been submitted today, it would have been one of the soonest submissions from court that I had ever heard of with our agency. That said, we had our court decree and birth certificate within a couple days of passing court so I guess I was hopeful things would continue to progress at the same rate. So despite trying not get my hopes up, disappointment it is. From what I understand, we are now waiting for M's passport to be submitted.

On a positive note, we did get a health update on sweet M. It states she is "playful and happy looking." Especially meaningful considering the assessment was shortly after she moved to the new Care Center. I've been so worried about her. The last little bit of time with her when she knew we were leaving and how incredibly sad she was that she couldn't leave with us weighs heavily on us. She knows and remembers so much. To get that little slice of news warmed my heart.

We still feel an urgency in getting her home. So we set our hearts to next Tuesday.

A Year Ago

2011-06-12T21:03:00.000-07:00

One year ago today we first met our daughter. The build up to that day is difficult to describe. Months of waiting...not knowing the impact of the trauma our little girl had already faced, both physically due to severe malnourishment, and emotionally for all she had been through. So we worried. Worried until the day we met. And then the worry went away. Because she was ours. And she was alright. And we already loved her.

And one year later she continues to amaze us. She is happy, confident, strong-willed, wise, funny, smart. She lights up the lives of everyone she meets. Our daughter has a soul that absolutely sparkles.

And she is loved.

Closer to her

2011-06-07T09:46:00.000-07:00

We learned today M was transferred to the Care Center in Addis! This is good news because it means we are one step closer. She can now be scheduled for an appointment with the Embassy doctor for her physical, which must be done before we can be submitted to the Embassy. We know this transition may be hard on her. We just hope she understands it means she's almost coming home.

We did find out last week that we have her Birth Certificate! This was such good news because MOWCYA has to write a letter for the BC and that can sometimes take weeks. So because we got her BC, we received all the necessary paperwork that we needed to complete for Embassy submission. We overnighted it back to our agency and really hope this means we'll soon hear the good news that our case has been submitted.

We also still need MOWCYA to write a letter in order to receive her passport. We've been so lucky with MOWCYA so far, but our agency has no control over how fast the letter gets written. Sending lots of good energy (and prayers) that it happens quickly.

Tuesdays are the day our agency receives all the news from the prior week from the staff in ET. So we look to next Tuesday in hopes of receiving some miraculous news.

We need our daughter home.

What now?

2011-06-01T06:17:00.000-07:00

I'm often asked why we can't bring our daughter home now. The next big step is to be submitted to the Embassy, where they review your case and grant you clearance to travel. These are the steps that have to occur before Embassy submission:

Court decree has to be issued - we have ours!
MOWCYA has to write a letter to have a birth certificate created
Once the BC is issued, we send in paperwork to be included with the file for Embassy
Only after the BC is issued can MOWCYA then write another letter to get M's passport
Then we can be submitted to the Embassy
M will also need to go through a physical to receive medical clearance to travel home

The soonest any family from our agency has been submitted to Embassy after court has been about 3 weeks (in recent history). That's not average...but the soonest. We are hoping hoping hoping to meet or beat that timeline. We know that recently, 5 families with another agency were submitted to Embassy after 2 weeks. So it can be done.

We are also awaiting news of when our daughter is transferred to Addis. Children are typically transferred from the orphanage in the South to Addis shortly after the court decree has been issued. I know it may be a difficult transition for her, but it means we are one step closer to each other.

A Family of Six!

2011-05-30T06:56:00.000-07:00

She.is.yours.

Those are the words we heard from the judge on Friday. Best words ever. It was an incredible, emotional week. Hard to put into words. Meeting sweet "M" was simply the best. She's happy, playful, outgoing. She came right to us with hugs and kisses as if she had been waiting for us a long time (which she had). We immediately were connected forever. My heart never to be the same.

She remembers her sister. She wants to come home. Leaving her was the single most difficult thing we've ever done. My heart aches for her. It was so good to come home to the kids....but she should be home too.

Now we wait for the court decree to be issued, then the next step is getting the birth certificate and passport. Then we get submitted to the Embassy and wait for clearance from them to travel. Typical time frame? 2-3 months after court approval before traveling to bring your child home. That timeline just isn't going to work for us and M. So much is out of our control, but we will do all we can to advocate her coming home as soon as possible.

For now...I pray her caregivers continue to reassure her we will be back soon.

The Countdown is On

2011-05-18T14:33:00.000-07:00

It's a little hard to believe by this time next week we will have met our daughter. I keep thinking about what the meeting will be like. She is at an orphanage where there hasn't been any parents traveling to visit their children (or that I know of) so it will be interesting how it goes. A few questions I've been asked:

Does she know you are her parents?
She has been told we are her parents and that she will come live with us eventually, but who knows what she really understands about that. She is 4 1/2 years old and has had her share of heartache. Not sure what she will be thinking. Hoping and praying it won't be difficult for her when we leave. Based on everything we've seen and heard, she is happy where she's at so we hope she won't be upset she's not leaving with us.

Does she remember Etagegn?
We don't know. They grew up together until Etta was relinquished. "M" was 3 1/2 when she last saw her sister so there is a good chance she remembers her. I believe in my heart of hearts they'll share a special bond whether they have a conscious memory of each other or not.

How long do you get to be with her on this visit?
We only get to visit her for about two hours (which I'm sure will go by like minutes). I anticipate leaving her will be one of the most difficult things I've had to do.

I am busy getting everything prepared for when we're gone. My parents will be watching the kids (thank you Mom and Dad!) and I know they'll have a great time. I on the other hand am struggling between feeling incredibly excited to be meeting "M" and anxiety over leaving my children.

Feel free to share your thoughts and prayers for safe journeys and that all goes well with sweet "M."

Excitement Abound

2011-05-11T21:33:00.000-07:00

We can't believe it's really happening...that we'll meet our daughter in less than two weeks. For those new to the adoption rollercoaster, so much has changed since we brought Etta home last summer. Generally speaking, we support the changes since the intent is to ensure more transparent and ethical adoptions. That said, we wish there was some recognition of our unique circumstances and that somewhere along the way, we get some level of reprieve...but we don't.

So we are required to make two trips. The first trip is to meet our daughter and then go to the High Court in Ethiopia to become the legal parents of her. I just keep picturing what it will be like to meet her...we'll drive to the south of Ethiopia to the orphanage where she currently lives and will only get to spend about 2 hours with her. We will soak up every minute. I cannot begin to think about what it will be like to leave her. It. will. suck. We are bringing her a photo album of us as well as a lovey and a book where she can listen to us tell the story (no, she won't understand a thing we are saying but she can still hear our voices).

So back to the court date...we hope to receive the court approval when we go before the judge on May 27. I say we hope because here is where uncertainty comes in. The court can only give their approval if the Ministry of Women's, Children, Youth Affairs (MOWCYA) writes the letter to the court giving their approval. We have been hearing of a huge reduction in the letters MOWCYA will be writing per day. We don't know yet whether the letter will be written in time for our court date. We are hopeful it will be, but we also know it's a possibility that we will have to wait for court approval until after we come home (we don't have to attend court again though).

So after we have court approval, we wait for the US Embassy in Ethiopia to investigate our case and give travel clearance for us to come back to Ethiopia for an interview with the Embassy. In case any of you are wondering, the Embassy's role in the adoption is to ensure each child meets the definition of an "orphan." Only then will they grant you a Visa to bring your child back into the states. In my naive days, I thought the Ethiopia courts and MOWCYA were there to ensure the child met the definition of an orphan so why did the Embassy have to investigate.

Unfortunately, some unethical agencies and practices have been found so the Embassy also plays a key role in investigating the cases. They are investigating more cases now than they did when we brought Etta home. As a result, the length of time between court and Embassy has lengthened. We are expecting it to be about 3 months before we can go back and bring "M" home. There's a chance it could be sooner, but I am gonna think end of summer so I won't be too discouraged if it's longer than a couple months.

So that's what I know. A wild ride it's been...I feel like it's actually becoming real. And we cannot wait to show sweet "M" pictures of her sister to see what she remembers of her. So much to look forward to.

Melissa Fay Greene

2011-05-06T09:00:00.000-07:00

Love her writing. Author of There Is No Me Without You (one of my all-time favorite books). Author of the new book No Biking In the House Without A Helmet," I consider her a mentor on the adoption-front. She gave me wonderful, personal, meaningful advice when I found out about Etagegn's sister.

I'll finally get to meet her in June when she visits Seattle to promote her new book. Here is an article she wrote for CNN. It's worth your read...

Melissa Fay Greene - Article About Diversity

We've Got A Court Date!!!!

2011-04-29T17:03:00.000-07:00

We arrive May 24!!! Our court date is May 27. I am pinching myself. I can't believe it's really happening. Essentially, when we didn't get our date this week, we asked our agency if the staff in ET could please go to the courts and ask why we still don't have a date. They did, and found out in fact we were assigned a date! So in about 3 weeks, we get to meet our sweet "M."

We are over the moon with excitement...

Disappointed Is An Understatement

2011-04-27T18:53:00.000-07:00

This week brought another day of anger, hurt, disappointment. I believe we and one other family are officially the record keepers of the longest without being assigned a court date. We're closing in on 2 months. We keep being told there is nothing wrong with our paperwork...it's just the "luck of the draw." I feel we deserve a better answer than that....the courts have to have an approach to assigning court dates. I believe it's just a matter of asking the right questions. And so far, that isn't happening.

Others received their good news today. And I'm happy for them...envious, of course...but happy for them. I just keep asking myself when will our good news come? When is it sweet "M"'s turn?

Tomorrow I will start fresh, put it out of mind as best as possible and focus on the happiness that surrounds us. How great will it be when Etagegn's birthsister can laugh, play, and be loved all over by her siblings? They want her home. We need her home.

Easter Fun

2011-04-24T21:37:00.000-07:00

What did Etagegn think of her first Easter? "It was fun Mama!"

I mean what's not to like when you get two easter egg hunts in the same day and mom lets you eat all the candy you want (well almost).

Zoo Time

2011-04-22T22:53:00.000-07:00

I'm determined to post something other than the fact that we still don't have a court date (and since it's been 7 weeks we are officially outside normal processing times).

It had been a while since we had been to the zoo....and Etagegn had never been. As expected, she (and the boys) had a ball.

Keep Your Head Up

2011-04-12T21:49:00.000-07:00

The big news day came and went without big news. Disappointed? Yes. But there's so much good to focus on. We received two beautiful pictures of a smiling, happy "M." Having loads of fun with the kids. And how could you not smile at this?

So as the song goes ..

Just the glow that the sun gives

Right around the sunset

Helps me realize

This is just a journey

Drop your worries

Andy Grammer - "Keep Your Head Up"

No Such Luck

2011-04-05T22:20:00.000-07:00

Wish I could share we received our court date today but we weren't one of the lucky ones. Our agency says to expect up to 6 weeks from date of submission. Well since this week's news is over, we're to 5 weeks.
And so we wait....and next Tuesday I'll be back to stalking my e-mail. Hoping each of you waiting for good news receives it soon too.

Here's Wishing For....

2011-04-04T20:52:00.000-07:00

A court date! Tomorrow is typically the day our agency gets the updated list from the staff in Ethiopia as to new court dates, submissions to court/embassy, etc. It's been 4 weeks since we were submitted to court. There are families who were submitted the same day as us who already have court dates. But there are also families who were submitted three weeks prior to us who still don't have court dates. When I asked my agency why, they said it's just the luck of the draw. Apparently no rhyme or reason as to how the Ethiopian High Court assigns dates.

While I know our daughter is happy and well cared for, she needs to be home. We need her home. So if you are the praying type, or if you just want to throw some good energy out into the universe, please please say a little something for sweet M. May we receive good news tomorrow...

Six Years Old...Really?!

2011-04-01T22:09:00.000-07:00

How did this happen? I really can't believe Spencer is six years old today. While there are times I truly wish I could stop time and have him be just the age he is, it's the best feeling in the world to see your child grow into one awesome little human being.

To our kind, thoughtful, funny, smart, sensitive, optomistic, always looking out for others old soul.

We are crazy proud of you.

A Preschooler's View...

2011-03-27T21:59:00.000-07:00

Love this book.

Once you've read it to your children a couple of times, let your preschooler read it to you based on the pictures. Out of the mouth of my 4 year old:

"It's okay to be striped"

"It's okay to eat lots and lots of ice cream"

"It's okay to smell stinky"

And my personal favorite...

"It's okay to have no head"

Referralversary!

2011-03-23T20:19:00.000-07:00

One year ago today we got the call that changed our lives. "We have a little girl for you." We knew we had been on the journey to HER and were meant to be her family.

You are an amazing little girl, Etta Jane.
You bring so much joy to everyone you touch.

Today and always we celebrate you.

9 months home!

2011-03-21T22:56:00.000-07:00

you are....happy. loving. wise beyond your years. funny. strong. determined. independent. sensitive. magnetic.

pure joy and love is what you are. we are so lucky to be your family.

Good Thoughts

2011-03-13T23:12:00.000-07:00

Today in Ethiopia, a big meeting will take place between MOWCYA, the State Department and the Adoption Network that may have a big impact on when we can bring Etagegn's sister home. We are hoping to learn more on whether the proposed 90% reduction in cases is in fact implemented. If it is, it could mean we are waiting up to another year to bring our daughter home.

Right now, I am hopeful. I am hopeful that with so many people concerned about children's well-being, good decisions will be made. Thoughtful decisions that include the need for greater scrutiny to ensure each and every adoption is ethical and transparent, but that don't mean children are growing up in orphanages.

I wish I could share a picture with you of her sister. But since I can't, I'll share sweet Etta's face...then imagine an older looking Etta with that same sparkle!

There he goes!

2011-03-10T21:21:00.000-08:00

Look Mom...no training wheels!

Blake - age 4

Submitted to Court!

2011-03-08T21:04:00.000-08:00

Amidst all the rumors of a major slowdown in the processing of adoption cases, we got some good news today. Our case has been submitted to court! Now we wait to hear about a court date.

I continue to feel strongly that everyone needs to work together to ensure adoptions in Ethiopia are ethical and transparent, and that those agencies who are not upholding those ethics are shut down. We are fortunate in that we know our adoption of Etagegn was ethical and in her best interest. And we know the same for her sister. And the thought of her sister being stuck in an orphanage for many more months or even years is unbearable.

I don't have the answers....but I hope the Ethiopian government figures out a solution other than the proposed slowdown which would result in far too many children literally growing up in orphanages.

Anxious to have her home with us and re-united with her sister.

Update and Picture!

2011-03-02T20:59:00.000-08:00

A lot to be happy about today...we received an updated health report on sweet "M" and also a picture! And the best part about it is that she's smiling. She really looks happy. It does bring us peace to know she is being so well-cared for, but it is still really difficult knowing the wait to bring her home is so long (still thinking end of summer timeframe).

We know more pictures are on their way in the next day or two so we're anxious to see them. We showed the kids her latest picture and Etta still thinks it's her. She says "Me!" They do look a lot alike :-)

For now, we've got a picture of our beautiful daughter that we'll stare at and imagine life when she comes home...

Another Step Closer

2011-02-24T21:29:00.000-08:00

Our I-171 approval is in the mail! This is our approval from Immigration that in fact we are fit to be parents and that we can bring an adopted child into the country (imagine that?!). Yes, it made no sense to us that we had to go through the process again, or that we had to take fingerprints yet again (since when do your fingerprints expire?...why can't they just re-run them?), but whatever it takes!

The process to get your I-171H can normally take up to 2-3 months or longer but we received ours in a month! We were fortunate in that we mailed in our I-600A form on January 26, then walked in prior to our fingerprint appointment and pleaded with them to take our fingerprints early. Then I contacted the central USCIS office who handles the processing of your case and asked if they could expedite it due to our unique circumstances, which they did.

Why is it so important to have Immigration approval? There is a new requirement in Ethiopia that you have to have it prior to being submitted to court. Our dossier is currently being translated in Ethiopia so now we can get the approval form there and hopefully be submitted to court soon. We are still looking at about a 4 month wait for court, but at least we are moving forward!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-02-16T22:47:00.000-08:00

One (small) Step Closer!

2011-02-14T21:21:00.000-08:00

We got the good news our Dossier has been authenticated and has arrived in Ethiopia! Now it gets translated and then our case can be submitted to court. Not sure how long that will take but I hope to be submitted to court by this time next month! And then we are looking at about another 4 months until a court date. The wait is so hard. Staying focused on the positive.....we are one step closer to Sweet M!

Fun in the Sun!

2011-02-09T22:47:00.000-08:00

Been on vacation....it was the perfect family spot. The kids had tons of fun playing on the beach and the pool. I even almost got through a whole book! (Cutting for Stone...highly recommend it...great history of Ethiopia too). An awesome time was had by all.

Dossier Complete!

2011-01-26T22:24:00.000-08:00

Big sigh of relief! We finished our homestudy and dossier in what feels like record time. Now it gets sent to the State Department and the Embassy in Ethiopia for authentication and translation. That usually takes a month or so. Then hopefully at that time our case is submitted to court. The wait for court will likely be around 4 months.

We also sent in our I-600A and hope to get a fingerprint appointment soon (although not too soon since we leave on vacation this Friday for almost two weeks). The I-171H cannot come fast enough since we are supposed to have it to be submitted to court.

One step closer to "M." Another huge lesson in patience....

Relevant Quote

2011-01-18T21:52:00.000-08:00

I stole this quote from this blog.

Plugging Away

2011-01-13T21:30:00.000-08:00

...on all our adoption stuff. Never thought we'd be on this road again but couldn't be happier about it. We had our homestudy visit last week (as well as our 6-month post-placement) and have our dossier pretty well done. So once we receive the homestudy report, we'll send it off to get certified by the state, get everything notarized, and then our part is done!

One thing that's pretty funny is that we had to re-take our Hague online adoption courses. We went through the course, completed the evaluation, and sent it in to receive our certification. BUT, we got denied because the company said we didn't spend enough time on the courses. Sure, we went through it a bit fast, but can't say we learned too much that we didn't already know. So.....take 2, I mean 3!

A couple weeks ago, we decided to have Chinese food for dinner. We hadn't had it in a while and it was Etta's first taste of a fortune cookie. This was her fortune:

Good news will come to you from far away

This was right before we got the referral for her sister :-)

Big News

2010-12-30T21:26:00.000-08:00

Sometimes things happen that make it abundantly clear how this life is so much bigger than you. That just when you think you have things mapped out, a curve ball is thrown that changes your entire perspective. We learned that Etta's birth sister was recently relinquished to an orphanage, and so we begin our journey to adopt her.

She's 4 years old and has the same sweet face as her younger sister. We are anxious to bring her home. Unfortunately, we have to start the adoption process over as if it's a brand new adoption so it'll be a long road. If all goes well, our hope is to have her home by the end of the summer.

The boys are excited. Our family is excited. And while it comes with mixed emotions that she cannot be with her birth parent, we know in our hearts this was the right decision for her. Just as we knew without a doubt that it was the right decision for Etta.

And so the two will be together. And we will be a family. Some things are just meant to be.

The Magic of Christmas

2010-12-26T15:05:00.000-08:00

Seeing Christmas through your kids' eyes could not be more fun. And although opening presents was high on their list, it's all the traditions that make it magical. Making Christmas cookies, the music, the stories, Christmas shows, seeing Santa, visiting downtown, making cards, decorating gingerbread houses, the smells, Christmas lights, the anticipation, being with family, the wonder of it all.

Happy Holidays to each of you and yours!

6 months home!

2010-12-22T21:40:00.000-08:00

We've been home 6 months now....a lot sure has changed in those 6 months. Etta is running, jumping, saying anything and everything, eating super well and sleeping like a champ.

She is still just as happy, confident, loving, smart, and feisty.

She adores her brothers,and has no problem expressing herself should she feel slighted in the least.

We can't imagine our life without her and are looking forward to seeing how much fun she has with her brothers on Christmas.

Here's wishing each of you and yours a wonderful Holiday!

In Love With Frosty....

2010-12-04T14:23:00.000-08:00

Grandma brought over a Frosty sing-a-long..I love the lip synching :-)

Thankful

2010-11-25T22:33:00.000-08:00

Two years ago today, my husband told me how thankful he was for our incredible life...having two awesome children who were loved and had all the opportunities for happiness life could offer. And that he wanted to give that same opportunity to a child who would not otherwise have it.

This was after months of talking about whether to have a third child so needless to say, I was over the moon. Here we are two years later....we could not be more thankful.

First Snow!

2010-11-22T22:02:00.000-08:00

The Gift of Water

2010-11-21T13:51:00.000-08:00

I know the act of giving is a very personal thing. What pulls at my heart and results in me making a donation may not be the same cause that pulls at your heart. But, in case you have been thinking of a way to "give back" during this holiday time, I will take this opportunity to share with you a cause that is very personal to me. And we're not talking a lot of money here...a very small donation can make a world of difference.

http://www.charitywater.org/whywater/ gives 100% of public donations to finding long-term water solutions in areas of greatest need, mainly in Africa. Remembering back to our time in Ethiopia when we traveled through the countryside, it was very common to see women and children walking great distances with their yellow jugs to find a water supply. And most of the water supplies are dirty and unsafe.

Unsafe water and sanitation causes 80% of all diseases and kills more people every year than all forms of violence, including war. And 90% of the 42,000 deaths that occur every week from unsafe water and unhygienic living conditions are to children under age five.

Only $20 can give a person clean water for 20 years. Please watch the video at the top of the link and consider making a small donation.

Obsession

2010-11-19T23:08:00.000-08:00

Star Wars is quite the obsession in our house right now. Even Etta is in the mix. We've got the light sabers to match. I need to get Etta on camera going toe to toe with her brothers in a "match." I especially like the growling sound effects.

How Far You've Come

2010-11-14T21:35:00.000-08:00

When we were matched with Etta, the thought that rushed over me the first time I saw her was “There you are. My daughter.” I knew in my heart all the challenges we had faced on our journey were because we were on the path specifically to her. It all made sense.

But the challenges were not over. We didn’t know much about her but what we did know was that she was considered severely malnourished and not hitting any of the developmental targets. Her head circumference measurement was cause for concern with our International Adoption Doctor and we had no idea what long-term prognosis we were facing. It was so difficult not having any control over her well-being. We had to take a leap of faith and trust she was in the best care possible and everything would be okay.

And she was okay. Better than okay. When we went to pick her up, we immediately knew how loved she was. She had gained weight (the miracle of F100 milk) and was crawling. She couldn’t yet put much weight on her legs but we knew she would be able to walk.

And walk she did! Only a couple weeks after coming home. There’s been no turning back ever since. Her determination and strong-will has taken her far. We’ve been home 5 months now and at 2 years old, she is in the 85 percentile in weight, hitting her developmental targets (exceeding when it comes to verbal skills and she is oh so smart), and could not be happier. She is a joy to anyone who meets her and we are so incredibly lucky to be her family.

Referral Picture

Two years old!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-11-10T21:07:00.000-08:00

Adoption Month - You Can Help

2010-11-09T22:01:00.000-08:00

Here's something you can do to help and it's super simple:

In honor of Adoption Month, a parenting e-magazine SixSeeds.tv has partnered with families to raise awareness about adoption. They have featured our story and for each comment you make under the article, SixSeeds will donate $2 to Holt International. Holt was the adoption agency we used and we chose them as our charity since they do so much to support families staying together and view adoption only as a last resort.

Also, three wonderful families we traveled with to pick up our children are also featured. The Osburns, the Johnsons, and the Groces. Please also help support their causes. All it takes is a simple post!

Re-Adoption Day!

2010-11-03T22:07:00.000-07:00

Today we re-adopted Etagegn, which means the adoption is recognized in our state. Even though she was already our legal daughter, you readopt so that you can get a U.S. issued birth certificate and apply for a Certificate of Citizenship. In order to avoid a much more complex process in our county, we traveled to a beautiful town a couple hours away and made it a little get-away. Our good friends, Sarah and Mark, also re-adopted today so it was pretty cool to share it with them. All in all the day could not have been more perfect!

Two Years Old!

2010-10-31T14:27:00.000-07:00

Etta celebrated her 2nd B-day yesterday. She had a ball. It brought so much joy to see her surrounded by all these people who love her and she was soaking it up.

I pulled out a picture of her when we went to pick her up. It is amazing to see the transformation in the short 4 months we’ve been home. She is the happiest, most joyful little girl and can light up a room. She went from hardly putting weight on her legs to walking in just a short couple weeks home. Now she is running and starting to jump. She talks up a storm….can string 3 words together. She understands everything we say.

We’ve always felt she is wise beyond her years and she shows us that time and time again. She is secure. Confident. And extremely playful. I’ve said this before, but the best way to describe her personality is to say she sparkles.

Happy 2nd Birthday sweet girl!

Dress-Up

2010-10-20T20:30:00.000-07:00

Yes...she wanted it on :-)

Sundresses and Otter Pops

2010-10-12T22:33:00.000-07:00

Is it really October?

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

2010-10-05T22:31:00.000-07:00

Halloween Costume Preview

(if you knew who her brothers are dressing up as, it's an easy guess)

Hair Puffs

2010-10-03T21:53:00.000-07:00

A few people have asked how to do the hair style in the recent pics of Etta. I am a total beginner and still learning, but I'll show you how to start easy like me. A great resource is to check out Happy Girl Hair.

Here is how I did her “puffs.” For your first time, I’d start by parting a couple sections in the front of the hair. Use a fine tooth comb. Start by parting the front of the hair down the middle and doing two puffs on either side. Or, you could do one puff on top and 1 or 2 on either side. The key is to comb the hair into the section you want, then pull it tight with a small rubber band. Then you can add little clips if you want to accessorize.

And by the way, I think most kids cry a bit the first few times you do it, then they seem to realize it’s just part of what mom’s do! The key is to show them how cute it looks in the mirror :-)

Once you get good and have a little time, you can section the whole head (which I have not personally done yet) but this is what it looks like!

Siblings

2010-09-27T22:31:00.000-07:00

Etta Jane is loving her brothers. And they adore her. She thinks they are hilarious (most of the time). She is completely entertained by them. We wondered if she would be able to keep up with them. Little did we know. She is a spitfire. This girl has some sass and spunk and smarts that will take her far (and probably cause some sleepless nights when she's older!).

(a glimpse into their personalities :-)

I was thinking about how the boys have helped with her adjustment. I think having older siblings has had a huge impact on how well she's transitioned into our family. It's helped her to feel more secure and confident.

Yes....our little girl shines bright!

Loving the Hair

2010-09-21T21:03:00.000-07:00

Etta's hair is growing a bit longer so we are starting to have some fun with it. Abra, our incredible nanny two days a week when I work, is a pro at the hair styles. She's been teaching me to do the baby puffs. I don't do mine nearly as tight as when she does it but I'm learning!

I still have not attempted to do the whole head!

And when all else fails, a little flower can do wonders!

Enkutatash - Pictures!

2010-09-11T20:09:00.000-07:00

Happy New Year! Today marks the 2003 Ethiopian New Year! We are so lucky to have been able to share it with our wonderful Ethiopian friends. They invited us over to enjoy injera, doro wot, as well as other traditional dishes, good music, and the Ethiopian coffee ceremony. They had a gathering of people so it was great to meet new friends as well. All wonderful company.

Here she is in her traditional dress

Our friends - Addis, Messi & Senait

Our friends had not seen Etagegn since we first brought her home and couldn't believe how much she's grown and changed in such a short time. I feel so fortunate to have them in our lives.

Tonight ended with Etta saying "Iyavoo" while rocking her to sleep. What a good night it was!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-09-08T09:47:00.000-07:00

Excitement and Tears

2010-09-05T13:19:00.000-07:00

Spence started Kindergarten this week. How did the time go by so quickly? It's been an emotional week...many tears shed (by both of us). He has had a tough time leaving me and going on the bus, but then as soon as he gets to school he's good and is having a great time. And I act my behind off to keep it together until he's on his way!

I'm so proud of him and am excited at what this new stage will bring for him. He's growing up. It's hard, but all good.

More transition this week.. Blake starts preschool. He's ready. He's been ready and I know it will be a much easier transition for him and me.

Read this post

2010-09-01T22:07:00.000-07:00

http://adayatthebeauchamps.blogspot.com/2010/08/not-ok.html

Much To Think About

2010-08-29T23:09:00.000-07:00

One of the things I feel strongly about is that adoption should be a last resort. Everything possible should be done to keep a family together and only if there is no other option and it's in the best interest of the child should he/she be relinquished.

I didn't give this enough thought when we started our journey. I think I gave too much credit to the relinquishment process. There are many reasons why a child might be relinquished. A death of one or both parents. A parent no longer able to care for their child due to poverty. Cultural reasons (rape, incest, single parenthood). I won't begin to get into the unethical practices that exist by some agencies. I believe all of these reasons are magnified in the context of international adoption.

When you begin thinking about poverty, for example, it's hard to wrap your brain around the idea that a child may be relinquished only because the birth family was economically unable to care for him/her. Yes, often times it's more complex than that, but you begin to think about what more can be done to keep families together.

One of the reasons we chose our agency is because they have a family preservation program. Some of the adoption-related expenses directly contribute to efforts that keep families together. Also, you can sponsor children in need so that they the family is not faced with the most difficult of decisions. This was important to us and it's why we've chosen to sponsor. It's hard to think about a child not with his or her birth family if the sole reason is because that family is impoverished.

I realize how naive I was before we began our journey. We chose to adopt because it's something I've always felt compelled to do. My husband knew this about me before we were even married. I always told him that I hoped to have birth children, but that I knew since I was a teenager I was going to adopt. Why did I feel that? Because there are so many "orphans" in this world who need a loving home. And there are orphans. But until we begin to question the definition of an orphan; until we ask ourselves why there are so many orphans and what we can be doing to stop even one child from becoming an orphan, there will continue to be circumstances where a child is relinquished unnecessarily or even as a result of unethical practices.

Most families are looking to adopt a healthy infant. There most certainly are healthy infants in need of families. But we've all been asked the question, "Why such the long wait if there are so many orphans in Ethiopia?" Yes, there's the bureaucracies intended to decrease the chances of corruption, but that's not all. It's also because there are not as many infants being relinquished as there are waiting families.

I think we have to face the prospect that with so many families wanting young infants, does the demand at all impact the circumstances surrounding a child being relinquished? It certainly does for unethical agencies that might make promises or payments to a birth family. But what about for ethical agencies? Since the rate of adoptions in Ethiopia has grown so significantly, does a birth family in Ethiopia recognize that the demand exists? That there is a family waiting for a child, and they think their child might be "better off" in the United States? Is the perception of "better opportunities, a better education, etc." a reason behind children being relinquished?

My hope is that we ask ourselves these difficult questions before starting the journey. In case you're thinking I don't support international adoption, I do. I think about countries who have closed their doors to inter-country adoption and the fact is, children are growing up in orphanages. There are older children and children with special needs who need families. And there are infants who need families too.

I just can't imagine having to question whether adoption was the last resort for my child. We are fortunate in that we know it was for our child. I hope we can collectively work towards this being the case for all families.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-08-25T14:52:00.001-07:00

Beach Fun

2010-08-19T23:26:00.000-07:00

We've been gone for a bit spending time at the ocean and then at my parent's cabin. It was great to get away. Thank goodness Etta loves the beach as much as her brothers.

Here are some pics of our time at the ocean...

And here is our time at the cabin...I grew up spending much of my summers there and it is where Ryan and I got married. Now our kids get to enjoy it. And friends. My close friends and their families joined us earlier in the week...there were 14 kids age eight and under. They had an absolute ball. And then my parents and sister joined us later in the week. It is a little slice of paradise for us.

A Little Update

2010-08-05T22:41:00.000-07:00

We've been home for about a month and a half now. In some respects it feels like it was just yesterday when we were in Ethiopia meeting our daughter. At other times it feels like she's always been a part of the family.

Before we came home, I told myself I'd be forthright on any difficulties or challenges we were facing. I think it's important adoptive parents don't sugar-coat their experience. I've seen how international adoption can be romanticized and in reality, the journey is not always smooth sailing.

And the journey to our daughter was not exactly smooth sailing. It was a long wait, and one filled with anxiety. There were many times we didn't know if all was going to be okay. But from the day we met her, all anxiety disappeared. The fact of the matter is we are one lucky family. We have been blessed with an awesome little girl with a personality that absolutely sparkles. It's been so cool watching her develop and grow. She is joyful, loving, easy-going, affectionate, smart and determined....she seems to be high on life.

We are amazed at how far she's come in such a short time being home. She just turned 21 months and has been walking for a few weeks. She loves being able to cruise around. She is talking up a storm...I think she speaks 15-20 English words and learns more each day. She also seems to understand everything we say. We are amazed at how much she understands.

She adores her brothers (except when Blake decides he's going to try to harass her) and they love giving her attention. She's got a great sense of humor and can sure be a ham. She also knows what she wants and has no problem getting her opinion heard. I often think about her level of determination and know that is what got her through all the challenges she faced.

People often ask about sleep. She's sleeping well for a toddler..especially for a toddler who has experienced trauma and while in the orphanage, never slept alone. She sleeps in her own room (how about that?...thought I'd be co-sleeping like I did with my boys!) and only wakes a couple times wanting me to check in with her. Once in a while she'll sleep through the entire night.

I had really prepared myself to have a much more difficult transition. She has made it easy. The biggest adjustment has just been going from 2 to 3 children, all of them young, all of them full of energy. As Ryan says, no more man to man, it's zone defense now.

We cannot imagine our lives without her. She has already brought so much happiness to all of us. We can't wait to watch her grow right alongside her brothers.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-08-04T23:19:00.000-07:00

Our Final Days in Ethiopia

2010-07-26T23:33:00.000-07:00

This will be the last journeling of our time in Ethiopia. The day after taking custody, we visited the US Embassy for our Visa appointment. The interview with the Officer was only a few minutes and then you have it - approval to bring your child home with you. We felt relief....after a year and a half of countless steps, hoops to jump through, and anxiety-ridden nights, there was nothing that would get in the way of us bringing home our daughter.

The next day we returned to the Care Center for the Farewell Ceremony. We were wondering how Etagegn would feel returning. It went perfectly. The ceremony was beautiful. Sister Martha spoke to us about their hopes and wishes for these children - these children who they love willingly and unconditionally. It was an opportunity for them to say goodbye.

Etta had only been at this Care Center for less than a month so we weren't sure if she had a special nanny. She did. She lit up when she saw her. Her nanny lit up too. And this is why our daughter shows so much love. She felt loved. I can only imagine how hard it would be - to care so deeply for a child until their family comes to take them home. One of our Travel Group friends asked Sister Martha how they can do it. She said it's because they believe it's their calling. They are meant to do this. And it shows. There were tears shed by all. Tears of gratitude. Tears of sadness for a loss of a relationship.

Tears of joy for what is to come.

Etagegn had a peace to her. It was as if she knew everything was going to be alright.

These are the wonderful Moms in our Travel Group. I am so thankful to have experienced it with them.

I really don't think I can put into words all that we saw, felt, experienced while in Ethiopia. It was amazing. Overwhelming. A gift of a lifetime. What I will remember most is the people. They are the warmest, most friendly, affectionate people I have ever known. They are gracious. They are happy. Our daughter will grow up being proud of her heritage. There is so much to be proud of.

It was the best feeling in the world to see our boys. It's good to be home.

She's All Ours!

2010-07-24T14:04:00.000-07:00

We returned from Durame and were so anxious to see her. It had been two days and we weren't sure how she was going to react to us. No more goodbyes...this was the night we could take custody.

We went over to the Care Center a bit earlier than we were supposed to (I couldn't wait any longer) and we went to find her in her room. I looked in and saw her sitting on the floor. She immediately smiled at me. I scooped her up and held her tight. We were so happy she seemed so content to be with us.

She attached to me quickly....I called her my little koala bear. I only put her down to use the bathroom, and even then there were tears. Thank God for Ergos. You could tell she was totally into Ryan, but wanted a little space between them at first. We had expected she would only attach to one of us at first and since she only had female caregivers, it made sense it was me. She lit up when she would see Ryan though and she liked to play ball with him. It was fun to watch their relationship unfold. Of course it only took a few days home and then she was just as attached to Ryan as me.

Right after we saw her

Getting ready to leave

Leaving the Care Center

This look is one we see often...so excited about life.

We learned just how much she could eat!

We spent a lot of time outside since we couldn't leave the Hotel grounds with Etagegn...the Care Center is right behind us in this picture.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-07-21T13:44:00.000-07:00

Back to Our Time in Ethiopia

2010-07-18T14:38:00.000-07:00

When in Durame, we got to meet Etagegn's birthparent. We are not sharing the specifics of why she came into care; that is her story. Her story for her to choose to tell when she's older. The opportunity to meet her birthparent was truly a gift. Intense. Wonderful. Sad. Hugely important for us to have answers to her questions. We feel honored to be raising her and will always honor her birthfamily.

After the birthfamily meetings, we visited the Care Center in Durame where Etagegn spent most of her time. There were many children there, all beautiful, all in loving arms. I don't know if there were any of us from the travel group that didn't at least think about adopting again after seeing the children (no, at this point we are thinking 3 is perfect for us! :-)

The head nurse

Etagegn's bed

The loving nannies

The nannies and nurses are always smiling, loving all over the children. They are inspirational to see. They are passionate about these children and it shows. As the head nurse said to me, "it is our privilege to care for them." It's no wonder these children thrive in care.

Joyful

2010-07-15T15:06:00.001-07:00

She is.

In some ways it seems like we just got home and other times it feels like we've always been a family. Etagegn sparkles. As for what she's learned since being home...a lot. She is fully walking on her own now and says at least 10 English words. She understands a lot of what we say and surprises us with all she knows. She's full of joy. Each day brings new learnings and more laughter. We love being a family of five. Life is good.

Special Friends

2010-07-07T14:24:00.001-07:00

Bereket and Etagegn

This is my good friend Sarah's sweet baby girl. She is a year younger than Etagegn and they were in the same Care Center...loved by the same nurses and nannies. I am so thankful to have been on this journey with Sarah. She was a huge support to me and I love that our children will grow up together.

Happy 4th of July!!!

2010-07-04T17:43:00.001-07:00

Home Two Weeks

2010-07-02T14:54:00.001-07:00

I'll take a break from blogging about the trip to write about what's happened in the last two weeks since we've been home. Etagegn is an absolute joy. Her transition amazes us. She is so well-attached to us and the boys, and is such a happy girl. I read all the attachment books I could get my hands on but so far, I'm needing none of them. She is bright and joyful, and also very strong-willed :-) She loves playing with her brothers and they sure are into her. They have been so great with her...so far no jealousy. Nothing seems to phase her and she holds her own. It's been so fun watching her explore and discover.

The most challenging of our time home has been lack of sleep and getting sick. We all caught the flu (except for Etta) the first week home. Then this past week she's been battling an ear infection and really bad eye infection. She's had 4 visits to the doctor in the last 5 days...this for a girl who does not like any stranger touching her! I felt so bad for her.

The adjustment to 3 kids is not a breeze, especially with a 3 year-old who is in testing mode, but we are sure feeling fortunate that it's going so well. Thanks to our family and friends who have helped us out so much!

Our Trip to Durame

2010-06-30T22:20:00.001-07:00

The trip to Durame was incredible. Durame is in the South, near where our daughter was born, and where she was in care for a few months before going to Addis. The countryside of Ethiopia is absolutely stunning. Green, lush, mountainous, beautiful. The poverty at times was overwhelming. The people are happy. Smiles. Many smiles.

One of my favorite pictures...they must have just gotten

out of school. They saw our two vans and came running.

On one of our stops along the way for a potty break, this sweet boy came out of the fields (we were not in any village so it was a surprise to him and to us). I can only imagine what he was thinking to see two vans full of white people out in the middle of no where. Each of us was so compelled to give him something, anything. It was the best feeling to see him smile. He waved to us until we could no longer see him waving. We all imagined what story he would tell his family.

Durame....the view from our hotel.

The pictures don't do it justice.

The 27-year old doctor from the Sinshicho clinic. The only doctor at the clinic that serves 250,000 people. The people in the surrounding villages raised $300,000 US dollars to start it. Our agency (Holt) currently funds it. While there, we met 3 patients recovering from life-threatening diseases. Diseases, like malaria.

All were going to be fine.

The clinic is committed to keeping families together. They are raising funds to add a surgery unit. Today, if someone needs surgery they have to travel 34 km (no car) to reach a hospital. We were told many people choose to just return home and pray. Here is a link to Holt's site that is raising money for the new surgery clinic in case you are inclined to help.

So much to absorb. It was all overwhelming and changed my perspective forever. More to come on our visit at the Care Center in Durame...

Meeting Our Daughter

2010-06-25T18:56:00.000-07:00

The previous night I woke up countless times. It was hard for me to sleep knowing she was right next door. You could literally see the rooms where the children slept right from our hotel rooms. I was so anxious to see her face. I had run through this day so many times in my mind it was hard to believe it was actually here. My heart was racing as we entered the gate to the Care Center. We climbed the spiral staircase and it all felt surreal. We first had to listen to instructions of how the meeting was going to play out. They would bring the children down one by one and you had to guess which child was yours (I think they thought it would be funny). I sat there and my hands were shaking I was so excited. The thought ran through my mind, what if I don't recognize her? How bad would it be if I didn't recognize her face after staring at it hundreds of times? But then I saw her at the top of the staircase with her nanny. There was no question it was her. The beautiful daughter we already loved but had never met. Finally in our arms. It couldn't have played out more perfectly.

We're home!

2010-06-19T14:37:00.001-07:00

Introducing Etagegn (Etta) Jane!

We are so glad to be home with her. She's happy, we're happy. The trip was absolutely amazing...I'm still trying to wrap my brain around all we saw and experienced. Some of it I'll not be able to put into words. I'll be writing more but for now, here are a few pictures!

We're Leaving to Bring Her Home!

2010-06-08T23:02:00.000-07:00

So we leave tomorrow to meet Etagegn (Etta) Jane. I can't believe it's actually happening. So the next time I post, we will be home and loving all over her! Thank you to each and every one of you who has been such a huge support to us along the way. We've been blessed.

What We'll be Doing

2010-06-04T22:21:00.000-07:00

After almost 20 hours of flying (that is not factoring in layovers), we'll arrive in Ethiopia where we'll stay for one week. We arrive late on Thursday, June 10 and go to our hotel, which is directly next to the Care Center. Friday morning (hopefully early or I will lose my mind) we will get to meet Etta for the first time. I'm preparing myself for what it will be like for her....she really will have no idea who we are and may very well want nothing to do with us (which will not be easy since all I'll want to do is scoop her up and love all over her!). We may have to really ease into it. And from what I hear, the nannies are great about doing just that. We get to spend a little time with her Friday morning and then probably get to return Friday afternoon. Saturday we will get to spend some more time at the Care Center getting to know each other even more (I expect to glean as much as possible from the nannies....how she likes to fall asleep, what she likes to eat, what makes her happy....). Sunday morning we will leave very early in the a.m. to Southern Ethiopia to a place called Durame. This is where Etta spent a great deal of her time in care. It is not where she lived prior to being relinquished but apparently it is very similar. We really hope we will get to meet her birthparent. I have so much I want to learn for Etta's sake. We come back to Addis Monday and get to spend time with Etta again in the afternoon. There is a chance we will get to take custody on Monday. I think some of it may depend on how bonding is going. Tuesday morning is when we go to the US Embassy for our Visa interview. Parents take custody of their children after the Embassy appointment if they didn't get to the evening before. I think the rest of the time is pretty much spent in the hotel...which means good quality time with each other. We leave to come home late Thursday night and arrive home Friday, June 18. I can't believe the time is almost here. I've got some serious mixed emotions these days....can't wait to go meet our daughter and bring her home. Sad and anxious about leaving our boys. They will have a ball, it's just me that will have a hard time. I wish we could bring them with us, but it just does not make sense, on so many levels. So here we are! We are sure feeling ready to be all together as a family of 5.

One Week from Today....

2010-06-02T09:56:00.001-07:00

We will be on a plane to Addis to bring home our daughter! It is all feeling a bit surreal still. I feel so fortunate because Sarah is over there right now and has been filling me in on everything (we've been able to talk, e-mail and IM while she's been there!) so I'm feeling pretty well prepared. Everything is packed except for Ryan's and my clothes. One suitcase is Etta's stuff, two are donations to Holt and AHOPE, and then one for Ryan and me. I stare at Etta's picture all the time and am so anxious to actually get to hold her. Sarah has not been able to see her again (she was going to try one more time). I'm so thankful we'll be there soon. Our lives are feeling super crazy at the moment between preparing for our trip, a major remodel effort, and work. It will all get done, right? And if not, I won't care because we will be on a trip of a lifetime!

A Hug for Her From Me

2010-05-28T22:52:00.001-07:00

My good friend, Sarah, got to meet her daughter today, and meet ours too. She called me this morning to say she was able to hold her and hug her. She spent about 10 minutes with her and hopes she can spend time with her tomorrow too. She said Etta's doing great.....she let her pick her up and Etta made good eye contact with her. She held Sarah's hands and walked to her. Sarah told me "She needs her mama....and to come home." Two weeks from today we will meet her ourselves. For now, I keep replaying the glimpse Sarah provided me into our daughter's world. I am so thankful for Sarah. My heart is happy to hear she's doing well. I just can't wait to hug her too.

2 weeks from today....

2010-05-26T19:44:00.000-07:00

We'll be on a plane to our daughter! Today we finished the last of our travel vaccinations and I have the necessary prescriptions to pick up for ourselves and Etta (in the event we get sick over there). Loads to do. I'm on a mission to do a bit each day so that I am not running around frantically when it's time to go. I've made some good headway on my list and hope that all I'll be doing the couple days before we leave is playing with our boys. I already know I'm going to have a hard time leaving them. I find myself tearing up just thinking about it. They will have such a great time though. We are so fortunate to have grandparents that will have them the majority of the time, and then our nanny who watches the boys twice/week while I work will be having fun with them too. I know it's absolutely the right decision not to bring them because they are so young, but I will miss them like crazy. So my good friend, Sarah, and her husband left today to go bring home their daughter. On Friday she visits the Care Center for the first time and she will get to see Etta. I know she will hold her close and tell her her mom and dad will be there soon. And then she's going to try to call to tell us about her. It will make me so happy....also bitter sweet that I can't be there....but happy nonetheless. Making the most of the time we have left before we leave. Because I know things will sure be different as a family of 5!! Can't wait....