My Family, My Journey: Eight Weeks One Day

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Eight Weeks One Day

Pediatrician, check!

Preschool, check!

My latest project is painting all the white trim in the house, this song made me tear up at the gym this morning, and I have lost the ability to write anything intelligible on this blog.

Come on court date!!!

Taking You Home

by Don Henley

I had a good life

Before you came

I had my friends and my freedom

I had my name

Still there was sorrow and emptiness

'Til you made me glad

Oh, in this love I found strength I never knew I had

And this love

Is like nothing I have ever known

Take my hand, love

I'm taking you home

There were days, lonely days

When the world wouldn't throw me a crumb

But I kept on believing

That this day would come

And this love

Is like nothing I have ever known

Take my hand, love

I'm taking you home

I'm taking you—home

Where we can be with the ones who really care

Home, where we can grow together

Keep you in my heart forever

And this love

Is like nothing I have ever known

Take my hand, child

I'm taking you home

Taking you home

14 comments:

Mom said...: So funny - and real!

Sounds like you are taking care of your body, mind and soul. Very smart as usual.

I love you.
Mom; Tuesday, March 02, 2010
the Melodious Mama said...: just keep swimming, just keep swimming, just keep swimming, swimming, swimming:)

(you have seen finding Nemo, yes?)

xo; Tuesday, March 02, 2010
Anonymous said...: Praying for a court date REALLY soon!; Tuesday, March 02, 2010
InventingLiz said...: That's so funny, one of the last things I did before I left for Ethiopia was paint some of the white trim in my house! I figured it was my last chance...

Hoping for a court date for you soon!; Tuesday, March 02, 2010
Katie Morris said...: I need to find a pediatrician too. I have a good idea of who I want to use, but need to call his office. I also really want to paint all of the trim in our house white, because right now it is this putrid tan color. The only problem is, what I really want, is for Michael to do it. He feels like it is too big a project to start right now. He won’t let me paint, because somewhere along the line, I convinced him I was a terrible painter. This may or may not have been on purpose. I really can’t remember.

I am REALLY hoping and praying that you and Eryn get your court dates this week…and that they are the same date as mine…and that we pass on the first time…and that we can travel together at the end of March. Is that too much to ask? I think not.

~Katie

P.S. My mind is COMPLETELY gone. I cannot focus on anything that isn’t related to our adoption and our trip to ET. I’m running into things, tripping and forgetting everything. I also have the tendency to ramble. Sorry this comment is so long!; Tuesday, March 02, 2010
ELYSSA said...: It's great that you set up pre-school--that's a major task out of the way. I am sure it is hard to trust the flow sometimes, but those little guys will be in your arms soon!; Tuesday, March 02, 2010
The Busters said...: RING PHONE RING!!!! Did you guys interview pediatricians or did you go based on recommendations? I need to start thinking about that stuff and the questions to ask, etc. Also, I have a story to tell you about Mary Oliver and I'll email you. LOVE YOU!!!; Tuesday, March 02, 2010
Lisa said...: Yes, where are the court dates? Maybe this week there will be tons of them!!! I can hope can't I?; Tuesday, March 02, 2010
Evelyn said...: Yes, come on court date! Looking forward to celebrating with you!; Tuesday, March 02, 2010
Eryn said...: I love Katie's comment!

I hope for the exact same thing. I too, feel like I've lost any skill for writing anything intelligible to say on my blog...so I copy and paste. LOL!

You know it's bad when the paintbrushes come out...I'm in the same boat over here!; Tuesday, March 02, 2010
Gayla said...: hoping for you sooooooo much!!!; Wednesday, March 03, 2010
Kat & Stacy said...: It's coming...I know it...it's coming. Just keep on breathing (and painting) (but dont' breath in the paint fumes... :-); Wednesday, March 03, 2010
Rose said...: listened to the song. Heidi and Mark - you are so deserved of these angels. Your wait only makes the love grow stronger. God bless you both!; Wednesday, March 03, 2010
Rebecca said...: you better be lifting weights honey!!! xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox; Thursday, March 04, 2010

Timeline

*PAPER CHASE/5.5 MNTHS*
6-27-08: Register for orientation with local agency
7-16-08: Attend orientation with local agency
8-19-08: Decide to adopt from Ethiopia through Gladney. Best decisions ever!
8-28-08: Attend orientation with Gladney
8-28-08: 1st Home Study interview
9-25-08: Home study interviews completed & all Gladney paper work submitted
9-30-08: CIS fingerprints
10-2-08: FBI clearance
11-12-08: Home Study report completed
11-25-08: Gladney approval
12-4-08: CIS approval
*WAIT FOR REFERRAL/13 MNTHS*
12-11-08: Wait list!!!!!!!
4-21-09: Increased our age preference hoping to speed things up (HA!)
8-29-09: Heidi's medicals updated
9-15-09: Mark's medicals updated
9-20-09: Travel Immunizatons
11-10-09: Sent in request for CIS fingerprint updates
11-11-09: Gladney calls to review our age preference
11-17-09: Gladney calls again and tells us about twin boys who *might* become available. We agree to increasing our age preference in order to pursue these boys.
11-21-09: Receive CIS fingerprint appointment
12-16-09: Have CIS fingerprints taken
1-4-10: Referral!!!!!!! 28 month old twin boys!!!!!
*WAIT TO PASS COURT/4 MNTHS*
1-19-10: Start home study update
2-18-10: CIS fingerprints cleared
3-4-10: Home study update completed/sent CIS extension request
3-30-10: File submitted to courts!
3-31-10: Received court date!
4-22-10: Received CIS approval extension
4-23-10: 1st court date
4-28-10: 2nd court date
5-05-10: 3rd court date
05-06-10: 4th and final court date! We're a family!
5-12-10: Receive travel dates!
5-18-10: Travel!
6-1-10: Home as a family of SEVEN (four humans, three puppy dogs!)

Fun Facts About Ethiopia

•Ethiopia has been around for a very long time. The country's Rift Valley is known as the cradle of humanity - fossils of the oldest known upright hominid (4-million years old) were found here in 2005, surpassing the famous 3.5-million-year-old 'Lucy', which was discovered in the same region back in 1974.

•A thousand years before Christ, the Queen of Sheba, we are told, traveled to Jerusalem where she met King Solomon, married him, and had a son, Menelik. When Menelik reached maturity, it is said he left Jerusalem and took with him the Ark of the Covenant, containing the original 10 commandments, back to Ethiopia. The Ethiopian Christian Orthodox Church says it still has the ark in its possession. No one else makes such a claim...

•Ethiopia's official religion is the 1700 year old Ethiopian Christian Orthodox Church. The Jews of Ethiopia, Beta Israel, are said to have been there for 3000 years. And its Muslim adherents have practiced Islam for 1300 years. Ethiopia is split religiously, with official statistics of 35% to 40% Ethiopian Orthodox primarily in the north, and 45% to 50% Muslim, primarily in the South.

•Ethiopia is the only country in Africa never to be under colonial rule, other than a brief occupation by Italy during WWII. You can visit many restaurants in Ethiopia today due to the influence of Italy during the occupation.

•Traditional Ethiopian food consists of various vegetable or meat dishes, usually a wat or thick stew, served atop injera, which is a large crepe-like sourdough flatbread made from fermented teff flour. One does not eat with utensils, but instead uses a piece of the injera (always with the right hand) to scoop up the sauces.

•The Ethiopian calendar is very similar to the Egyptian Coptic calendar – each have 13 months, 12 with 30 days each and the 13th month at the end of the year with 5 or 6 days, depending on whether it is a leap year. The year starts on September 11th (12th in a leap year). The Ethiopian calendar is 7 years behind the Gregorian calendar, so Ethiopia recently celebrated their millennium on September 12, 2007.

•Coffee can be traced back to the 9th Century where it is believed a shepherd discovered coffee beans in the highlands of Ethiopia, namely the Kaffa region. The Ethiopian people are very proud of their coffee and they show this in their well known coffee ceremonies. The Coffee Ceremony is a very important part of socializing in Ethiopia and to be invited to a coffee ceremony is always considered a sign of respect and friendship.

•There are multiple tribes with different subcultures and over 80 languages in Ethiopia. The Amharic language is a Semitic language spoken in North Central Ethiopia and is the official working language for Ethiopia.

•Family in Ethiopia includes immediate and extended relatives, neighbors, and friends. Faith and family are the foundation of the Ethiopian culture. Ethiopians are very respectful and loving. The elderly are considered very knowledgeable and as a very important part of the family structure. Children are usually raised in a large community that includes extended family and neighbors, and siblings are expected to help take care of each other.