My Family, My Journey: TWO

Monday, May 3, 2010

TWO

"The world is full of suffering. It is also full of overcoming it."

Helen Keller

13 comments:

Claudia said...: I totally want these backpacks! WAY too cool!!; Monday, May 03, 2010
Mika K. Reynolds said...: Those backpacks are so cute. And I love the Helen Keller quotes, so wise.; Monday, May 03, 2010
Gayla said...: AAAAAAAAUGH!!! So excited for you. This is IT.

(and those may be the cutest backpacks (lunchboxes?) EVER!!!); Monday, May 03, 2010
The Busters said...: I am so glad you decided to do another countdown!! TWO!!!! I am hoping beyond words that Wednesday is the day. LOVE YOU!!; Monday, May 03, 2010
Unknown said...: Heidi! this is your week girl!!! i'll be checking my computer all week! i'm praying for miracles sweet friend!; Monday, May 03, 2010
Tam and Kai - NYC said...: yes, this is it!!!!
p.s. we have the little monkey backpack :)
xo; Monday, May 03, 2010
Eryn said...: THOSE are totally adorable! i love love love the puppy! So fun.

Can't wait for Wednesday! Be sure to text me!!; Monday, May 03, 2010
Amy said...: Your boys will have the cutest stuff!!

We bought the dog backpack for our little girl :) Love the penguin one too (Doug and I debated on which one to buy).

Hooray....only 2 more days!! Get some sleep tonight :); Monday, May 03, 2010
sko3 said...: We have the penguin one. Pronounced "pinguin". We need to get together sometime and share our cute stuff! (I don't live far from you at all.); Monday, May 03, 2010
Evelyn said...: Oh me oh my! That is a great quote and I just got butterflies thinking of TWO days for you! Thinking of you!; Monday, May 03, 2010
Lisa said...: I LOVE those backpacks! Where do you get such cute stuff? I guess I'm a little sheltered living in the middle of nowhere.

Two days Heidi! TWO DAYS!!!; Monday, May 03, 2010
Wes and Layla said...: That puppy backpack was one of the first things we bought for our Little Man! It is so cute I can hardly stand it. I know you can't wait to see it on one of your little guys! You'll be in our prayers!; Monday, May 03, 2010
kn said...: seriously where are you getting all of this adorable stuff?

I love that you are counting down again. parenthood is a whole heck of a lot of counting down.

You guys are in my prayers.; Monday, May 03, 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.