Clickity-Clack, Clickity-Clack....

...moving on down that track! Another milestone met! Saturday I was fingerprinted by the Immigration Service! yea....

A stroll downtown....I have been authenticated!

I went downtown today, to the Secratary of State, and had my dossier authenticated. Another step in the long list of checkmarks. And a day that seemed would never arrive. But it did and is done.

It was interesting, as I strolled around by the capitol and the downtown area...what diversity. Race, economic status, architecture, and even the state of disrepair and renovation, side by side. I use to work down town, 20 years ago or so. It has changed...of course. Some parts nicer, some unkept. As I people watched, I found myself compelled to pray for this one and that one.

A heavyset young couple, red/blonde haired, sunburned, hot and frustrated, a double stoller with a chubby redhaired little boy in one seat, as the mom tore, what looked like his twin sister out of the dad's arms, spitting venom almost, I could not hear her words, but could she her expression and redfaced anger, the little girl reaching for her days arms, the man just standing. Not a new experience for him, I could tell. Sad. Sad for the little ones. Sad for the couple I had to pray for them.

The African American woman, spouting filth and obscenities at a Hispanic family group walking by, her man just window shopping, as if she wasn't even talking.

Gang clad teens, and teeny-boppers trying hard to be cool.

A bus of Chinese tourist, waiting on a couple taking just one more photo of the capitol buidling then sprinting for the door.

As I walked and looked, and sipped on my Jamba Juice, waiting to be authenticated, I thought, Lord, what rich diversity you created. You made us all. None better than the next. No one superior. No one inferior. And look what we do with it. How will I teach my children about race? What will I teach them? What do they need to know?

Where I see the shade of their skin means absolutely nothing positive or negative, I know they still have to live in that skin. And the world around them does tie meaning to the color of their skin, both negative and positive. How do I prepare them for that?

A few weeks ago, we all watched a movie where an elderly African American man was sharing his family story and how his father was killed, just because of the color of his skin. My boys are young enough, and sheltered enough, they had not yet heard that some people disliked (or still do dislike) other people due to the shade of color of their skin. The thought had never crossed their mind. I love that.

Yet, how do I prepare my daughters for the prejudice they will experience in their life time. And how do I prepare all my children to stand for what is right and be a light to the world around them when it comes to race and stereotypes?

....we are all precious in His sight. I am so glad God made us not all the same shade.

As I teach my children to stand for Christ in a world that is against them, I will also teach them to stand for equality in a world that judges.

I am inadequate to the task. God is more than adequate.

Stop......

ok, snagathis...again.

I thought I was all ready to progress to the next milestone. Yes, I have my homestudy. Yes, I have all my dossier docs.......

well....

Almost...

Since March I asked my homestudy agency to remember to send the post-placment visit document agreement to me. They assured me, yes they would send it with my homestudy.

You guess...did they? :)

Nada....

So I sent a copy again on Monday, asking. Was told by the SW that she would contact the homeoffice, and have not heard back yet....

sigh....

So stopped again.

On a good note, I received a new picture of Olivia today, from another visitor to Ethiopia. Was glad to see that. The last few visitors that have taken pictures did not have any of Olivia. I was beginning to wonder...where is she?

I also got a shortsnippet from Grace who is over their how sweet Olivia is. :)

November will be here before you know it!

In the headlights....

So, I feel like the proverbial deer caught in the headlights. Finally, after waiting 80 days, I have my homestudy IN MY HANDS!

YEA!! The crowd roars!

I feel like it should scramble and hurry and do something. But my work and homelife have me pretty busy for the next three days..so it is just going to sit on my desk for a few. BUT I HAVE IT!

I had hoped to have it into time to have everything completed and get a court date before the rainy season court closure in Ethiopia, but that window has passed. So I will go through my dossier packet one more time, then trott on down to the Secratary of State and get the whole things aunthenticated.

:) Progress.

Stalking the Mailbox...

Well, my long and winding road is moving forward! After 76 days of no activity, my homestudy agency called today and said they are mailing the homestudy today!!!

Yea!!!! So I am stalking the mailbox!

I had a little scare earlier this week. I had this black bag I had all my other dossier papers in, just waiting for the homestudy, to get it all authenticated and sent to Ethiopia...and I LOST IT!

I thought I had it at my work office, but opened the cabinet and it was not there. So then I thought I must have it at home, and it was no where. Not wanting to panic (I HATE STRESS)...I realized any paper in there, I could get again, but it takes a while. My passport was in there too.

SO, I gave my children an incentive. The one who could find the black bag, gets $10.

So a sidenote: I had taken Nick to a Casting Crowns concert for his 10th birthday. He loved it. At the concert they talked about World Vision and sponsoring a child. (http://www.wvi.org/wvi/wviweb.nsf) He was SOOO moved by it, he wanted to sponsor a child himself. I was hesitant, we already sponsor a little girl, Eva, in Mexico through Compassion (http://www.compassion.com/default.htm) I DO have a big heart, but also have lots of expenses, and adoption costs. But Nick felt so passionate about it, he said he would do extra chores to earn the $30 a month. I agreed, so Nick is sponsoring Sharif from Bangladesh.

SO, when Nick heard the reward, he was all over that...said he would have $10 toward his sponsorship for this month. He started upstairs and was looking diligently, under beds, closests...etc. Not an easy task, since we still have tons of boxes yet to unpack. I wanted him to go get his sleeping bag out of the garage, as he was heading off to Ranger camp at 5 am the next morning, but he was impassioned with the search.

SO, I went out to the garage, to dig up the sleeping bag, and what should be sitting beside it? Yep! The black bag!!!! I was overjoyed and camp in the house with the two bags. But then, immediately felt sad. I SOOOO wanted Nick to find it. So I slyly was trying to slip it under the couch with no one noticing, when Nick, at the top of the stairs, said, elated..."You found it!!!" Then turned to sad face, when he realized that yes, IIII had found it.

Trying to find the logic in it, I said, well actually YOU found it. How so? Well, if you had not been hunting so I was the one to go get the sleeping bag, we may not have found it. You might have just grabbed the sleeping bag and walked on by. So because of you, it was found. (Well, a mom has got to try!!)

So he got the reward, (actually Sharif did) and we have the all important papers! Woo-hoo.

So I will spend the next few days stalking the mailbox and getting ready for the next step in the process!!

Leaky Steam Valve

Ok...

I am fairly calm.... (aren't I?) I have been patient. I have come to grips with the timing that I will not be traveling until November or so, when the courts reopen. I have surrendered to God's timing....

but....(ah oh)....I just have to vent for 30 seconds, then let it go.

My homestudy agency!!! UGH!

I used them before, when I adopted my daughter from China two years ago. Was very happy. Went smoothly. Very caring SW.

SO..I thought, this time..no problem. Just an update really, right? So on April 4th, when the second visit was done, and I shared, politely, about the timing and the court closure in Ethiopia..etc. and asked how long...I was told 2 months!!

Didn't seem to care at all that I already had my daughter identified and that the courts would close. 30 days for the social worker to complete her part, and 30 days for the home office to approve and finalize. SO I gentley shared, if there was anyway to expedite, we (my daughter and I) would be grateful.

4 days short of 30 days, I send a gentle inquiry how is it going? Response, haven't started it. :( The following week, I get tons of questions, and hoop jumping requests..(that I could have been spending the last 30 days doing....)... stayed calm and jumped the hoops. Two weeks later, finally send to the homeoffice....hoping they would expedite and make up for lost time.

Homeoffice delays, wants a piece of paper that they would only accept Shimeless signing, and he was in Ethiopia....sigh....

Two days after he is home, he signs and mails it.

I wait.

At day 64, I gently inquire? How is it going? Am told they are working on it and will send the DRAFT to be reviewed by Hope that week.

A week comes and goes. I gently ask, again. AM told, it has not been sent yet. It is still in processing, hopefully this week they will email it to Grace. I share that Grace is going to Ethiopia in a few days (with other things on her agenda, understandably) so the sooner this week, the better.

Today, I get an email asking me about childcare for my kids during the summer, and where have I lived since I was 18...etc. (We went over all of this 70 plus days ago.)

sigh....so I kindly send the responses. And am told they are "processing it". Hopefully done soon.

Sad face. :(

I know it is outside my control.
I know I am just one amoung many.
I know this may be the first Ethiopian adoption this homestudy agency has done.
I know.

I know God's timing is perfect.

I know my daughter will be here at the right time.
I know.

Venting over.....pssssssssssss....escaping steam.

Wait

So.....

Wait, wait, wait....

Still no homestudy....

Was suppose to be 60 days max, that was ...hmmmm, 9 days ago.

Sigh...

Currently waiting for the homestudy agency to send a draft to the international agency for them to say it is ok....then send it to me, so I can move to the next step.

So nothing new....just waiting. Maybe I will hear something this coming week. It is funny, (not funny haha, but funny odd) the book I am reading about adoption talks about how so much of it is outside my control.. and how we can have the tendency to try to over-manage the process or obsess on the parts that are in our control...and I thought, BOY is that me.

So I have been trying to focus on when she comes home. What will it be like, and how to handle the adjustments.....as well as trying to get life in order now (OK pick yourself up off the floor from laughing.)

51 and I am still thinking, one day I will get my act together! Angela, (our au pair) gets here on July 17th, and I SO wanted to have my act together by then! What magic could I perform in the next 30 days, that I have not done in the last 51 years? HA~

Wait...

Worth a Happy Dance......Ethiopian style...

My piece of paper, the waiting piece of paper...is on it's way to my homestudy agency!! Yippee! Now the homestudy can be finished....makes you just want to dance!

Ethiopian Mesgana Dancers... Children of Ethioopia Education Fund. www.coeef.org

Pictures from Ethiopia..

Another family returned today, from Ethiopia and shared their pictures. There were about five new ones of Olivia, that I cannot post, but wanted to share some of just the sites around the city...as soon as I can get bloggers photo feature to work!!! You will see them here....
waiting by unpacking, but also reading a book on adopting older children and attachment. It will be interesting to see how our transition goes, with Olivia being older. Mary Beth was almost three when she came home. Olivia will be seven. Enjoy the pics....

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Nothing new under the sun...

at least on the adoption front....

I am in a wait mode. Waiting for the homestudy to be sent.

They are waiting on a piece of paper that they will only allow to be signed by the director of the adoption agency, who happens to be in Ethiopia right now and will not be back until next week.

So wait.

We are in our new house, with more space....

So we are living life, and waiting...

God's timing is perfect. So I am at peace on this. Have actually set my mind to realize my Nov/Dec will probably be the timeframe...and as I already posted, it may be better. We will be more settled, the kids in school, Angela will be here and more comfortable with the family and routine...so in many ways, probably better.

So, nothing new....:)

Just boxes to unpack!

Setbacks and Delays....

So I have had a piece of paper delay in my homestudy being completed...and again it is outside my control. With this added delay, I have pretty much given up hope to get to Ethiopia before the courts close....which would mean Oliva would be coming home in the November December time frame....

God knows what is best, and I am surrendered to His timing. I keep getting awesome pictures of her....and I know God is in charge of the whole situation...who knows what He may do.

So I am trying to learn about ESL and how to transition a child who does not speak English into the school system mid-year. Maybe Nov, Dec would be a better time anyway....less going on, kids in the school routine, so I could spend 1 on 1 time with her.

Our Abba loves us all...and we will be united....what a Christmas that would be, no? :) Can't wait. Hold on dear little daughter of mine....we are coming....we are coming soon, and we have made a great place for you....a house with many rooms, and one for you to share with your little sister. What laughs we will have. What fun. What pretty dresses, and dancing around the house and songs about Jesus. What hugs. What love. What a future. Our Abba Daddy is wrapping us all in...making us family. We are family. And we are coming.

Good News.....

No, I did not get my homestudy, yet. But I did get some good news, from another source.

The company I work for just added an adoption benefit. They will reimburse $5000 of my adoption cost! Isn't that an awesome blessing?!

Thank you Lord, and God bless Intel!

I also got to see some video footage today from the orphanage. I wish you could see these little precious smiling faces, and high-pitched voices. It is touching. I am hoping they will post the video of Olivia when she got our package and photo album.....

So here is a funny thing, I was thinking about the $5000 reimbursement from my company, that I was not planning on..... That is the exact amount to adopt a second child at the same time. Hmmmmm. Am I nuts?

BTW. The fabulous picture above was taken by a family who were in Ethiopia just a week or so ago.

Connected...

oh...more more thing, I forgot to mention....

In the many many pictures of Olivia Mame I got, one showed her holding a card, with her name and my name on it!!!!!

We are connected....we belong to each other. That is so amazing. To think, this little girl on the other side of the globe holds pictures of us and we hold pictures of her and the "belonging" is already starting. How awesome is that?

Just adjust...

Well, I did not get the good news I was looking for. :( The social worker was not done with the homestudy on the day she thought she would be, or on the 30 day mark....

But what can you do? Nothing I am not in charge of timing, and although she may not know it, neither is she.

So I had to adjust my thinking again, as I am counting days...and realize God is in charge of timing.

And regardless of when the next chain of events kicks off, it will be the perfect time in God's timing and it will all work out. :)

Isn't this a cool picture? A family that just got back from Ethiopia took it while they were there.

So...the homestudy is now being reviewed by various folks in the agency and should be sent to the head office...maybe Friday...in which they take up to 30 days to review and approve it.

Meanwhile, I am going to pull out all my dossier papers, double check that they are all in order, and then get them authenticated...so all I will have to do when I get my homestudy, is get it authenticated and send it off to Assistant Stork. Makes me feel like I am doing something.

On a happy note, I got TONS, I mean TONS of very cute pictures of Olivia, from the same family mentioned above. So cute. and in a few she was wearing the necklace and bracelets we sent her and the little purse!!! How cute!

She is always smiling and right in the middle of things and hugging her little friends. I am glad I have a full house for her to come home to, or she might me lonely.

What a blessing.

Hoping for good news on Monday....and Tues....

Well, I am hoping to hear good news on Monday: My social worker said a couple weeks back, that she hoped to have the homestudy done and sent to the agencies corporate offices by the end of April. Well, it is 4 days past that. I have not heard anything, but I sent her an email asking if it was done, on Friday...I am hoping to hear good news tomrrow! The home office gets another 30 days to review and approve it...I would love for them to be quicker than that....we are all waiting!! Hoping to beat the rainy season, as well as get Olivia home before school starts. ...Fret, fret....but God knows all this....Lord, your timing, your will.

My other good news, I am hoping to hear, is Tues or Wed. . . but more on that later...so waiting waiting.

New Hair do....

Oh, we all love a new DOOOOOOO!

I saw some new pictures of Olivia (from a couple families traveling to gather their little ones...) and I noticed she had a new do. Zizagged part and three braids on each side. Very cute!

So I am going to have the fun of learning a whole new set of hair dos. Fun... SO I do some hair-do surfing...and here are some I came across. No none of these pictures are MY Oliva...but lots of pretty girls with pretty Hair dos!

She Knows.....

News from Ethiopia.

Below is a snippet of an update from a mom who is over in Ethiopia getting her daughter. She visited the orphanage where Olivia Mame, our dear one is, and gave her the little package we sent her, that includes a little photo album of us. This is a snippet of what she wrote in an update to our yahoo.group:

Forgive me for not remembering...but whoever has Mame...ohhh she is SUCH a sweetheart. We gave her the package and showed her the pictures and got it all on video. She was so excited and kept saying Mommy??!!?? With a huge smile...you will cry when you see it.

Isn't that awesome? Precious? She now knows of us and that she has a family! Yes, I am a mommy again!

Home study, home study...wait wait wait.

So, an update:

I was hoping the actual writing of my homestudy would take less than the 2 months that my social worker predicted. (One month for her to write it and one month for the home office to review it. )

I gently, kindly, showed her pictures of my sweet Oliva Mamea in Africa, and told her the only little thing we are currently waiting on to move forward is......well......her to write the homestudy. Since I had my homestudy with them when I adopted Mary, it was an update really...not having to start from scratch and decipher the history of my life.

So, with the last visit on April 4th, the one month, for her part, would be May 4th. So I thought, at half way, I would just gently, kindly inquire as to the progress, hoping, knowing that she was the only thing between me and moving on, knowing it was an updating, knowing Olivia is waiting and we want to get there before the rainy season...(yet knowing, I am just "another case" in an overloaded caseload).... hoping to hear good news. Friday, I heard. "I have not started yet..."(had it for 15 days and have not typed one word of it??!!--thought, but not said). " But I plan to start next week and should be able to have it done by the end of the month." 4 days. Maybe 4 days earlier than the one month prediction. :(

sigh...not the answer I was hoping for, but at least I know. Then it goes to their head office, and I know there is no hope that it will go quicker than 30 days there, when the pleading eyes of a waiting mommy and waiting daughter to a social worker had no impact. Why would another packet of papers in a stack of many draw attention?

So..there is where we are.....waiting mode.

I am ok with it....God has his timing and I am ok with it. Was just hoping for some happy, quicker news.!

On another note, a mother from Oregon, Denise, has left for Ethiopia to pick up her children. In her luggage she has a package for Olivia, including a photo album of us. Olivia will find out for the first time either today or tomorrow, that we are her family and what we look like.

I covet your prayers for her as she adjusts to these thoughts. I pray the very thought will be a blessing and hope for her. Pray Denise has a smooth and fruitful journey. (She is still waiting for one piece of paper from the states, to be able to bring her children home, but stepped out on faith, since she has an Embassy appt in Addis Ababa on Friday.)

2 1/2 hours until our Home Homestudy visit....

Update: We survived...and all went well! Whew! What a day, braces for Nick, walk-thru on a possible bigger house, Home Study Visit.

Now...time to unwind!!! Lookout Nim Island, here we come!

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Well the house it is as clean as it is going to get. My mom and dad came over yesterday when I was at work and mopped and cleaned from top to bottom. Isn't that a blessing????

Since then I have only allowed my kids to sit and walk as tin soldiers and eat while standing in the bathtub. haha. Justk idding. Well, ...almost. :) Do you know that pull-ups almost fit a Yorkie, if you don't want himto have an "accident" on newly mopped floors?

sigh....

So, learning from a painful lesson on my first go round adoption,have some engaging project for the kids to do while the socialworker is here. So they don't sit so nervous that when she getshere they lose all reason, and cognitive thought and act like wildalien spacemen without parents. :)So I have set up the watercolors, paint brushes and art supplies onthe kitchen table and they do not get to start until 5 minutesbefore her arrival.

Is that staging? LOL!

They really DO like painting and we REALLY have done it before!!!!

Pray for us.

We may celebrate (or console ourselves) afterwards by going to the movies to see Island of Nim.