Dossier in Ethiopia and need some stuff

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  YEA! My dossier is in Ethiopia, now being translated to Amharic, which I am told can take about two weeks! It feels good to finally be at this stage of the game.
  
  So the next thoughts are about court dates and travel dates.
  
  One of the things I wanted to share, was about donations for the orphanage. I saw this on another site from a family adopting through Hope and thought it was a good idea.
  
  There is only so much I can take with me, but thought I would try to collect some items for my trip (hopefully in November)
  
  Hope Place, the orphanage in Ethiopia where Olivia is living, has so many children right now, and a hard time getting all the supplies they need. Sometimes it's not just a matter of having the cash (birr) to buy things, but many items are just really difficult to purchase there. So here is a list of items needed. If you would like to make a donation I will take as much as I can with me to Ethiopia and give them to the orphanage. If you'd like to donate but don't want to ship things, please email me and let me know. I will do the shopping for you.
  
  Any donation is helpful --it doesn't have to be large.
  
  
  
  Diaper wipes, disposable diapers, diaper rash cream
  Cloth diapers, diaper pins, diaper covers, training pants
  Sheets and blankets for cribs and older kids' beds
  Baby bottles, bottle washers, pacifiers
  Sippy cups and children's utensils
  Hand sanitizer
  Baby lotion and good quality lotion for caregivers' hands (they get dry from washing so much)
  Children's and Infant's Tylenol or Motrin
  Shoes and clothes for all ages, but especially older kids --shoes are desperately needed
  School supplies
  Girls' hair accessories
  Books for children (The older kids love books in English)

Moving Closer....

Assistant Stork just told me this morning that my dossier is through the offices in Washington DC and on its way to Ethiopia. It should be there in about 3 days!

Hurray!

God made me....

Today, at the dinner table, talking about this and that, five year old Mary said: "God made you a momma...and gave you these children."

Yep! He did....and with it the grace to love rightly. Thank you Lord.

I have been reading a book, The Shack..I cannot rave about it enough. Among other things, it has given me a picture of my relationship with God the Father, Jesus the Son, and Holy Spirit far different than I have ever had.

Also, a better picture of myself.

Yes, God planned from the beginning to make me a momma of these children and the power, love and grace to do it.

The Adoption Journey

This was written by Linsey, another mother on the road to adoption...when several families were delayed again, after a long wait, in getting their court date completed. I thought it was worth sharing, no matter what stage of the journey we are on.


Growth means change and change involves risk, stepping from the known into the unknown; Each one of us is on a journey.

We all started for different reasons, some because of barren wombs, others simply desiring to love a child yet all have been called by God. Called to walk a path that most would never consider. It is a path you must travel, where your heart is open and vulnerable. You must lay down all your weapons of defense before you are allowed to start your journey.

You are required to expose all that you are; your short comings, your faults, and your mistakes all the while convincing someone that you are fit for the task. You are told ahead of time that the road is long and hard.

There will be moments when the path is clear, the road is marked and your strength will be renewed.

There will also be moments when you stand in a fog unable to decipher which way to turn and your mind will be clouded with doubt. In moments like these you need to remember your beginning.

Remember that you were called by God.

Look up, grasp hold of His fingers, close your eyes, and let the sound of His voice lead you out of the fog. Speak to Him, remind Him of the signs you've been given that declaed ryour called journey.

In remembering your faith will rise up.

Amen

Time to sing and dance...

(To be sung to the tune of a nursery rhyme)

I went to the mailbox

and what did I see?

A 171H peeking out at me

I jumped up and down

Shouted yippee

My 171H is peeking out at me!

Yea...ok, wierd. I know. But I got it today!!!!! :)

I got it.

I got it.

I'm happy cause I got it.

I think I will talk in song all day today.

One more scramble!!!...light on the horizon....

S0, I THOUGHT I was done with the paper scramble..but alas--I messed up! I had one piece of paper I did not get authenticated by the Secy of State. So yesterday I had to reprint it, get it notarized, drive to downtown, get it authenticated, then got back and had sent over night....to assistant stork.

sigh....

scramble scramble.

NOW...I am done scrambling. . . with my eyes on the horizon.

I think. :)

And it's off!!!!

My dossier, finally completed is off the Assistant Stork. http://www.assistantstork.com/ Assistant Stork is a courier service in Virginia. They take the dossier to the various goverment offices that have to do their authentication, including the Ethiopian Embassy, and then send it over to Ethiopia. So that will be my next big step, my dossier arriving in Ethiopia.

Somewhere in this journey it gets translated into Amharic, I think. To be honest, I am not sure. :) But my paper scrambling is OVER!

Yippee!!!

New Pictures...new words

I got several new pictures of Olivia yesterday and today...one with the wildest hair! I just loved it! And some words from those who just returned from Ethiopia.

"[Olivia]--another one who I wanted to steal--she is so sweet"
"Olivia is very smily, she was following us around and watching every move we made."

I can't wait to see your smiling face, face to face!

Written by Deanne...from God's Heart

This is written by a fellow journeyer on her way to adopting from Ethiopia. She said it so well and gave persmission to share:

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's not OK with me that there are over 145 million orphans in theworld.

It's not OK with me that the poorest of the poor in America are amongthe 9% richest in the world.

It's not OK with me that there are 45 million orphans on the continent of Africa alone.

It's not OK with me that 3/4 of the world lives on less than onedollar a day.

It's not OK with me that 3/4 of the world does not have a toilet, noteven a pit latrine.

It's not OK with me that 6500 Africans die each day, 1500 each month(the same amount as were killed by the tsunami) from HIV.

It's not OK with me that more non-christians donate to AIDs andorphan charities than do Christians.

It's not OK with me to withhold lifesaving ARV's out of deference to the office of patents.

It's not OK with me that Where you live determine's whether you live.

It's not OK with me that every fourteen seconds another child iso rphaned by HIV/AIDS.

It's not OK with me that the church has been slow to respond to the modern day Leprosy of our time.

It's not OK with me that 2,102,400 more children become orphans each year(in Africa alone).

It's not OK with me that In Ukraine and Russia 10% -15% of children who age out of an orphanage commit suicide before age 18.

It's not OK with me that every hour one thousand children die fromHIV/AIDS.

I think you get the point, or at least some of it.

I am here today to talk about God's love of the poor, the orphans,the widows, the strangers of the world. I am here to talk about what you can do to make a difference in the world and in the life of a child by following God's word. I am here to tell you that the nameless and faceless orphan found in these statistics is by no means nameless or faceless to God.

Psalm 139:13-14 says: For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother'swomb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

Mostly I am here to deliver the message of our Lord that Caring forthe least; a major ingredient of Biblical Christianity has been forgotten by the church. I want to ignite this fire within each and everyone of you today.

Throughout scripture and throughout the history of his people, God has called his chosen one's to spend themselves on behalf of the poor, the oppressed, the orphan, the widow, the prisoner, and thes tranger in the land. In fact, caring for the orphan is mentioned over 40 times in the scripture. Poverty is mentioned over 2100 times. Now that's a lot of airtime my friends.

Galatians 6;2 Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you willfulfill the law of Christ

James 1;27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultlessis this; to look after orphans and widows in their distress and tokeep oneself from being polluted from the world

Mathew 25;40 The king will reply, I tell you the truth, whatever youdid for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.

Mathew 18;10-14 See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my father in heaven. What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost.

The gospel that I believe in offers a cup of cold water in Jesus'name.

The only gospel worth living is the one that incarnates love.

The only gospel worth giving our lives for is the one that elevates the needs of others above our own.

That's what the good news is all about folks. History will judge our generation by how we responded to those in need. History will judge the church by how it responded to those in need.

We have the opportunity to show the world just what it truly means to be Christ-followers. You and I can make a difference.

Someone once told me when I first wanted to adopt that I couldn't change the world. Well I happen to disagree. With God at my side anything is possible and you and I can change the world. We change the world when we lead with compassion and move from apology to action. And out of action springs hope- and out of hope, life.

So for our mistakes, I am sorry. But for our potential, for the impact you and I can have on a world in need....Iam hopeful.

Our adoption by God cost us nothing. However it did cost God something; it cost him his son.

The high fees and costs for adoption today are indefensible, but they are not inconceivable. Adoption is costly. Whether in the realm of finances, emotions, relationships,time, or effort, adoption will cost. But think of what it cost God, and yet he was willing to undergo that cost. And not simply undergo it but to undergo it with joy.

I have heard so many comments from people about adoptions and the ones that stun me the most are from Christians. Questions and comments like:

Well can't you have anymore children?

Why don't you just have another child?

Oh it's not that we don't want you to adopt but we just feel sorry for that poor black child being raised in a white family.

You don't have the money.

You will be taking away from your kids now.

Oh do you really want to do that to yourself.

First, yes I can have more children. and I don't know why people find it so hard to believe that I want to give a child a home that needs one.

And the sacrifice?

Well taking care of one of God's orphans is the least I can do to repay the price he paid for me.

We were not put on this earth to get by with the least possible. We were put on this earth to serve the Lord. Through adoption, I am serving the Lord.

I don'texpect it to be easy.

And about the poor black child being raised by a white family as opposed to not eating every day, sleeping on dirt, and suffering from needless illnesses, I think living with a white family may not be ideal, but we are all God's children. God adopted all of us, black,white, chinese, indian. We are all God's children.

He did not think twice about adopting us. It was more difficult for God to adopt any one of us than it would ever be for me to take care of one of his children.

We were not a cute little puppy, looking for a Father. No. we were evil and putrid and we were repulsive. Some of us would reject him forever, some of us would never want to know his love or grace and yet he still adopted all of us, even if only one would ever love him and come to know him.

Can you imagine dying for someone that would reject you and that you knew would reject you? How many of us would do that?

The adoption journey is not an easy one, but every hour of toil, every obstacle encountered, every tear shed, every sleepless night---all are but a shadow of the price that God paid for us.

Jesus came to be a ransom for many, and if God was willing to pay that ransom for us, how much more will he be willing to lead us in ransoming his beloved children from their state as orphans?

And it is his love that compels us onward in obedience, whatever the cost, for he who calls us is faithful. Our God who owns the cattle on a thousand hills, who is rich in mercy and grace, who generously provides for all that we need, this God knows the costs we will incur, and promises to be with us and for us every step of the way.

This is about faith in action.

This is an invitation to experience God in ways we've never experienced him before.

In Matthew, Jesus says, "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

God's heart is invested in adoption. Let us view the costs, both known and unknown, as an invitation for us to invest our resources, and therefore our hearts into the things of God.

You know I used to think the same way, that going to church, living right, praying, and talking to the Lord was enough, but the scripture tells us that faith is not enough. Faith without deeds is dead.

It'slike a quarter with only one side. Faith on one side and deeds on the other. You can't spend it unless you have both.

Bono tells a story of a wise man that changed his life. He told this man that he was always seeking the Lord's blessing when he had a new song, had a family to look after, or a crazy idea. The wise man said " Stop. Stop asking God to bless what you are doing. Get involved in what God is doing-because it is already blessed."

Well, God as I said is with the orphaned and the poor and the widows. That I believe is what God is doing. And that is what he is calling us to do.

I have often heard people talk of seeing the face of God in the poor. I never really understood it until the Lord sent me to Zambia with his own intentions in mind. Well let me tell you my friends that the orphans, the widows, the poor, the sick and oppressed is where God said he would be and it's there that you will truly experience him, see him, touch him, and walk with him.

I know that 40 million is an unconceivable number to comprehend.

Sometimes we hear the numbers and they are too overwhelming.

I want you to think about this number for a while. Think about 40 million children going to bed at night without a kiss from a mom or dad, 40million children that will never have anyone teach them how to ride a bike, rejoice with them every time they make an A on their spelling test, cheer them on in their soccer game, 40 million children with no mommy or daddy.

I also know that as a Christian not one of you would purposely ignore the grave statistics. Sometimes the sheer magnitude of the numbers is just too much to handle so we block it out and go about with our lives. It's so easy to just turn the channel instead of watching the two year old with big brown eyes and a swollen belly.

But I am asking you right now. right now if I told you that there was one child depending on you, one child that needed you, would you say no? As a Christian could you say no I won't help?

I don't think you would.

If you knew there was one child in the world that needed you, I think you would reach out and do whatever you could to help.

So don't tell me that I can't change the world.

I along with everyone in here can change the world.

My God is bigger than the 145 million orphans in the world.

My God is bigger than the HIV/AIDS crisis.

Howabout your God?

If you think you can't change the world by helping one child then you are wrong. That one child is one of God's chosen ones, destined for greatness. If you think you can't change the world by helping only one child, why don't you ask that child, because I guarantee, you would change that child's world.

So I am asking each and every one of you today to let this hurt into your heart. You can take this message and turn it off just like you do the TV shows or you can let the hurt in, feel it in your heart and decide to make a difference in the world. A difference in one of God's miracles, the lesser.

So I am asking you today to not only let this hurt into your heart but also to act on it. Turn your faith into a faith with action. I am asking you not only to believe in God, but to also walk the walk.

You don't have to adopt a child to help out, but why not?

Maybe someone in your church, or family, or neighborhood may feel the passion for adoption. This family may not have the financial resources to adopt. Support that family financially.

Start an orphan ministry within your church to support families that want to respond to the call of God to adopt.

Support a child through a Christian foundation for 30 dollars a month.

Go on a mission trip to an orphanage and teach the children about God. Tell them that even though they feel all alone in this world that they are God's chosen ones and he will not forsake them.

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Amen, Deanne, Amen!

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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Compassion – Make a Donation – Sponsor a Child

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!