Home Study

After weeks of compiling paperwork, we mailed in almost all of our Home Study paperwork. And believe me, it was a lot of paperwork. Our biography alone, which Dave typed up (thanks honey, but he can type much faster than me), was more than 20 pages. It feels like we are making progress.

Next thing with this process will be to take 10 hours of adoptive parenting classes (we're looking to do this when Crystal comes out for my B-day) and then we have to do a series of interviews with a social worker.

Getting Cultured

As part of this journey, we've been encouraged, and also just feel inclined, to study the culture of Ethiopia to be better parents. For Christmas I thought it would be fun to add some new music to our iTunes library so I bought these CDs for Dave. The best part is that as we listened to the music, Trenton was dancing all around. He loved it.

Now I just need to get used to the food. It's time to find an Ethiopian restaurant nearby. That thought doesn't conjure up good memories though. I can remember back in high school, traveling out to D.C. with a group of students for Close Up and we actually visited an Ethiopian restaurant for lunch one day--didn't sit well with me.:) Dave will say that was just me and my chicken strips and fries mentality. I hope that's the case. He keeps saying we'll do Ethiopian for my birthday dinner.

Making Copies...

Couldn't help but make a crack at that old SNL skit, because it seems like we need copies and more copies of every proof of identity for this process. Today I ordered copies of all our Birth Certificates (ours and the boys) and our Marriage License. Talk about things adding up too...$15-20/each for 3 different copies of each and 3 different shippings at $16 each. We won't go putting a tin cup out there, yet, but we're getting close...:)

Application ACCEPTED

We received the confirmation e-mail. Our application for adoption has been accepted!! We are going to AFRICA. Boys...we can't wait to meet you and bring you home.

ARE YOU SERIOUS?

Today I told Caleb we are going to adopt.  With a huge smile he replied, " ARE YOU SERIOUS?" He was so excited.  ALL the boys are excited.  We have even asked them if they would want sisters or more brothers and of course, BOYS win.  Caleb did ask why we are going to Africa and not Asia.  Well,  we feel like our boys are in Africa.   

Telling FRIENDS

We needed some friends to write referral letters so we told a few people what we were up to. On my girls weekend to NY and VA I told some friends of our news. It was like telling them I was pregnant. Happy however to not be.:)

All of the reactions have been overwhelmingly supportive. Of course there's the the initial first response of shock, "What did you say?" or "You're doing what?" But there's also a strong sense of excitement and collective support. It's amazing how the topic of adoption resonates so much with people--so many people have, so many of my good friends have considered adoption or their interest has been piqued or they've had other adoptive interactions.

We appreciate so much everyone's support and love!

This is such an adventure for us, one that we couldn't do alone, and what that we really look forward to sharing every step of the way with our friends and family.

A Memorable Flight

I was on my flight out to Washington Dulles for my girls weekend away. I was sitting in the isle seat with the middle seat empty and a lady by the window. We started talking and she said she was a missionary in Albania. She was on her way back. She and her family work in an orphanage there. I was thinking this was interesting as we had just made the decision to adopt. Kind of cool. We talked a lot.

Well, it keeps getting better. The inflight movie comes on titled, "Then She Found Me." It was ALL about adoption. I couldn't believe it.

After the movie ended, the lady across the isle from me says, "I loved that movie, I have adopted 16." The conversation went from there. Julee, the lady, was on her way to Ethiopia to visit the 2 new kids she was adopting. She is amazing. She has 7 biological children and has adopted kids from all over the world. The flight was very inspiring and confirmation that we were on the right path. My girlfriend Sara picked me up from the airport and I told her she wouldn't believe the flight I had just had and she said, "Are the Signs starting?" She adopted Clara from China several years ago. She could relate in a very real way to the flight I just had.

The "signs" have begun.