6 Months Ago

6 months ago, we returned home from Ethiopia.

Here is one of the 1st pictures that we took after meeting him at just over 8 months old.


And here is a picture of him just a couple weeks ago at almost 14 months.

Don't Give Up!

I will be back; I just need to find the time. Joshua is doing great!

My Review of BABYBJORN(R) Baby Carrier Active

Originally submitted at One Step Ahead

How comfortable is this BABYBJORN carrier? Well, it's the one our head buyer chose for herself - and she's pretty much tested them all. It's simply more comfortable for longer periods: the ergonomic straps lift the weight off your shoulders, while the lumbar support protects your back...

BABYBJORN(R) Baby Carrier Active

Lifesaver/backsaver

By an80slady6886 from Chicago suburbs on 7/6/2010

 

5out of 5

Gift: No

Pros: Lightweight, Strong Construction, Comfortable

Best Uses: Infants, Travel, Daily Use, Out & About

Describe Yourself: First Time Parent

We just adopted an 8 month baby boy. Once we figured out how to put it together, it seemed so simple. It was great as we were walking around his birth country to not always have to carry him in our arms. Being a 1st-time mom, it made it easier to carry him around going right to a 19 lb. baby was not easy. He's also so comfortable in it that he falls asleep in there. I've also been able to put him in there as I do some cleaning up around the house. The lumbar support in the Baby Bjorn active model is great and makes carrying him around so much easier. I really haven't tried getting him in there myself; my husband always helps; getting him in there by oneself may be a little challenging.

(legalese)

More Photos of Joshua

Photos of Joshua

We're Home. Details later, but here are some photos to hold you until then

Leaving On A Jet Plane

Yes, we got confirmation that the VISA will indeed be 6/24/10, so we will be leaving on Saturday! Only 5 more days!

Prayers Needed!

We are 12 days from travel and yesterday are adoption agency told us 5 families who are waiting to travel in a little over a week that final confirmation probably won't be until next Monday or Tuesday. This will give families only between 2-5 days of notice, which will greatly increase the cost of travel to probably skyrocketing prices. We were told this delay is from the U.S, Embassy. At least, one of the traveling families took the chance and booked tickets. The $750 per ticket changeover fee would be cheaper than buying tickets just a few days before. The rest of us families need to decide if we should take the chance and buy our tickets. Please pray that we decide what is best for our situation and also for travel confirmation to come much sooner. Thank you!

We passed court! Here he is!

Here was his referral picture!

Today was Our Court Date

Tune in later to find out the result. Have we been named Joshua's parents? Has the case been re-scheduled? We don't know the answer yet. Check back later tonight or if you are on Facebook, you may find out sooner.

Just a little over 1 more day until court; please keep us in your prayers and thoughts that we will become parents to Joshua on Tuesday. As we sleep Monday night into Tuesday, our case should be up in Ethiopian Federal court.

Baby Shower #1

Last Saturday, I had my first of several baby showers. A group of women meet every 1st Saturday of the month for what has been named Coffee and Conversation. They threw a small shower for me with many of the regulars. I haven't gotten pictures yet, but hope to receive them soon. I did snap a picture of part of the cake, that was left over and I brought home.

It was so delicious. It was from Costco and had chocolate mousse filling. So good and tasty, but way more than I could or should eat, especially since Kevin does not like chocolate. But we shared it with our small group which met the following night. I still have one or two more pieces. I think I'll see if I can freeze them, since I have another shower tomorrow with another Costco cake. This one Kevin can eat, since it won't be chocolate.

Got quite a few gifts, I can't name everything, but a sample were some adorable stuffed animals, books, a child's Storybook Bible, homemade blankets (beautiful), Photo frames and photo albums (always need those) and more. I just can't name everything. It was then that everything really started to feel real. Thanks to everyone who came!

Court Date 5/11

I can't believe it has been so long since I posted here. I am usually on facebook and so are most people that I know so I just neglect this site. Last month, we finally were notified that our paperwork had been submitted to the court. Usually we aren't told when this exactly happens, but with the upcoming deadline for one or two trips, they did. Then a day or two later, we were told that our court date would be May 11th. Now that is only a few days away. Since Ethiopia is 8 hours ahead of the Central Time Zone, it will happen as we sleep Monday night into Tuesday morning. Please pray that all the paperwork from the different agencies and orphanage are there in court, everything is spelled correctly, all the people who need to be in court, are in court, and that the court's electricity is working at the time. If any of these things aren't just right, our case will be rescheduled, so let's hope, pray, think positive thoughts, whatever it takes for us to become Joshua's legal parents. Remember once we hear that we pass, I will share his pictre online. Also, remember, I will be at work and will be unable to post his pictures until I get home, so please be patient. Lately, there has been some phone difficulties, so we could be declared his parents and our agency might be unable to get through to our Agency's Ethiopian representative.

One Trip or Two?

It looked like we'd squeak in under the old 1 trip rule, but it's very unsure if that will happen now. The U.S. Department of State made this announcement : The Federal First Instance Court of Ethiopia has announced that as of May 9, 2010, adoptive parents must appear at the federal court hearing for their adoptive child in order for the adoption to be approved. This new requirement will affect all pending and new adoption cases that have not yet been presented to the court. Here it is in full: http://pear-now.blogspot.com/2010/04/dos-adoption-notice-ethiopia.html

It is unclear whether one will have to have to have their courtdate by that, pass court by that time, or if the paperwork will merely need to be submitted to the court. Please pray that we have to take only one trip. This is also the most expensive time to travel to Ethiopia, so finding the funds to make two trips will be difficult.

Have You Heard?

If you're not on either of our Facebook accounts, work with us, are in the know among our extended family, or attend our church, you probably haven't heard the great news! WE HAVE A SON!!! We got our referral call on Monday, March 22nd (a belated birthday gift for Kevin, whose birthday was March 20th). After exactly a 10 month wait on this waiting list and over 3 years and 3 months, since 1st submitting our application, we receive the news that there was a 5 month old boy who had been selected for us.

The day started out not that hot, liteally. We woke up to a relatively cold house, our furnace turned off over night and it as in the very low 60s when we awoke. Kevin stayed home and waited for the heating guy to make his service call. Since our furnace is only 6 years old, it turned out to be some small piece that broke and needed replacing. So, we got a new part relatively soon and Kevin as able to leave and be at work a little after 10.

We both were at work when we got THE CALL. Kevin got the call first. He was outside with the kids, so a co-worker got him. Then Ashley, our adoption consultant called me. Luckily, I had my cellphone out on the desk and it started to ring. I thought who the heck is calling me on my cell; then I looked down and saw that it was the adoption agency. Once I answered, Ashley put Kevin and I on as a conference call and told us she had our referral and told us all about our son. He was born October 16, 2009, so at the time was just a little over 5 months.

When we will pick him up is not yet known specifically, but we hope to have him home during the first part of the summer. There is talk of requiring two trips, but it now seems to be taking effect later in May. If we can get all of our paperwork translated, etc. and filed with the court before Mother's day weekend, it looks like there is a good chance that we may only have to travel once. This would be so much better financial -wise. Traveling once will be expensive enough. Also, leaving our son after the first trip would be so difficult since it might be 6-8 weeks or more until we travel again. One of the positives of 2 trips would be that he would be an automatic U.S. citizen when we landed back on American soil. So please pray that all the paperwork is submitted to the courts in early May and that we don't have to wait long for a court date. Once we pass court, we have to wait to get assigned an embassy appointment and then we'll learn when we travel.

By the way, we will call him Joshua and his middle name will be his Ethiopian name. We can't post his picture or e-mail any pictures untiil we have passed court and are in the eyes of the Ethiopian government, "Joshua's" legal parents, but if we see you in person, we will be happy to show you his picture.

Nursery Help

I've been looking at lots of crib bedding and can't quite decide. Here are I think, the top 5 contenders, in no specific order. Please give me your feedback and help me make a decision..







Animal Acres




Fisher Price Ocean Wonders

Fisher Price Precious Planet











Jungle Babies

Modern Sports

The Things People Search

Oh my, I have a statistics counter on my blog and since starting this blog in late 2006, I have had over 58,000 hits. I can also see what countries, states and cities the people who visit me are from or are near, as well as what people searched on google, yahoo, etc. to land on my blog. Well today when I checked back on February 20th someone from the York, Maine area searched under "somewhrer out there he is training to kill you" He left the instant he got to my blog since it needless to say was not what he was looking for. Thank goodness he left quickly.

But an interesting tidbit is other than the majority of people coming to my blog from the U.S., I've also had visitors from Canada, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Iceland, The Russian Federation and Sweden.

Tomorrow's Friday, which means it is the last day of this week that we could get our referral call. Monday, we will be at 91/2 months on the waiting list and just shy of 3 years, 9 months since we were approved by our agency to adopt. Please keep all the prayers, good wishes, finger crossings and all other positive thoughts coming our way. We are impatiently trying to be patient, but it is hard when you are so close.

Poll

I have posted a poll for anyone who is interested to try and guess when we will get the CALL for our referral. Take part and post a comment, so I know who is participating.

Another Referral, Another Step Closer

There was another referral given out today of a 1 1/2 month old baby boy; this family only waited 10 1/2 months on the waiting list. (The wait time has gone down; hopefully it goes down some more, since we are just over 9 months.) On the master waiting list we are #25, but for a baby boy under a year, I think we are somewhere between #1 and #3. Oh my gosh, we are getting so close! When we'll get the magical call is anyone's guess. Thank goodness I have caller i.d on both my work phone and cell phone. Thankfully, I never get calls from the 314 area code, so when I do see a 314 number, I'll know this is most likely IT!

1st Baby Product Purchase

This weekend we made our 1st purchase for the baby. Baby's R Us had an awesome sale, where you can trade in a select baby product of any brand and buy a select brand name baby product. We decided on the Graco Pack 'n' Play. We need to research car seats better andd check out cribs more before we make a purchase. It was either a stroller or a pack 'n' play and we decided on this:



We are getting super close! It could be anytime now. Yesterday referrals were given to 6 lucky families. I think a 3 1/2 week old girl and a 3 1/2 month girl and 3 baby boys: 5 weeks, 2 months, and 20 months and a sibling set.

We've been waiting just over 9 months and are probably anywhere from #2 to #5 for a baby boy.

Even Closer

I had e-mailed my adoption consultant at CHI last night and today when she responded she told me we were not #35 on the waiting list, but #33. Who knows when we'll get our referral, but it may be sometime in the near future. Stay tuned for one day in the not very distant future.

Finally Referrals!

We started the week with a bang as there were 5 referrals at our agency on Monday: a 3 month baby boy, a 10 month baby boy, 2 1/2 month twin boys, a 2 1/2 year old girl, and a 4 year old girl. Then on Tuesday, there was another referral for a 2 year old girl. So, I'm thinking , we are about #35.

Raining Referrals from Heaven

Our agency reopened after a 2-week holiday break. We were all hoping for tons of referrals this week. Well the week and the new year got off to a great start. There were 9 children referred, a total of 6 families received. The children referred were: a 5 month old boy - family waited 12 ½ months; a 3 month old boy - family waited just over 11 months; an 8 ½ month old girl - family waited 14 ½ mos; 2 month old twins (girl and boy) - family waited 17 ½ months, 2 siblings (girl and boy) 2 yrs and 3 ½ yrs - family waited 14 mos and 4 yr old twin girls - family waited 15 months. So we have moved 6 more places and are about #40.

My best coupon savings year so far!

I've been clipping coupons for quite sometime. I always thought I did fairly well, averaging around $200 in savings a year. This year I started following some coupon and sales blogs and in January attended a coupon clkass by this one woman who has been on tv and several radio shows. Following her tips and those from the blogs, the entire year, I've done better and better with my couponing. I ended 2009 saving $748 in just coupons : manufacture and store coupons as well as CVS Extra Value Bucks and Walgreen's Register Rewards. I saved almost 4 times more in the 4th quarter of 2009 than I did in the first quarter of 2009, as well as more in the entire year of 2009 than I did the entire 3 previous years. Wow!!! If I keep it up, the same way this year I should save even more this year than last year. I wasn't going to keep track this year, but I think I will, plus I found a spreadsheet which will take only a minute or so to more to keep up.

Happy New Year, 2010