Amazing news!

...Not for me, but for my BFF (who is also adopting from ET).

R & N (and the relentlessly hard-working sisters at Asco) have been working tirelessly to bring little Y home. FINALLY, good news (the last good news was in JANUARY!).

Read her story here.

I have met and (already) fell in love with little Y and can't wait for her to come chill with us Chi-town style.

No news for me yet this week, but I am feeling (unnaturally for me) very zen about things right now. Another friend from the adoption world reminded me this week that after all things are said and done, you realize that you waited just the right amount of time for just the right kid to come in to your life when they should. Agreed.

Today, I am just overwhelmingly thankful for answered prayers for my friends.
Cheers!

Sooo close...

I am so close to being on the wait list, I can feel it!

I received my DCFS license this week, so I am officially a foster home.   I am STILL waiting on the international adoption coordinator for Illinois to give her stamp of approval to my home study.   It's only been two weeks, but I'm so anxious for it to be done. (My caseworker says I should allow a month, but I can't let myself believe it will take that long!)

When this is done, I will go on the wait list....and, just to give you an idea...

If I went on the wait list today, I would be #5 on the infant boy list.  And, now just to give you a frame of reference... my Chi-town blog-friend Ruthanne was #4 last week and accepted a referral!  

Now you see why I am so excited.  : )

In other news, I did not realize that when I emailed USCIS to ask about switching my fingerprinting day that I forfeited my day.  Bummer.  Luckily, I got another appointment two weeks later. 

Things are definitely moving along.    Do you ever just have that feeling that somethings going to happen really soon?  I do... right now!

Cross your fingers with me?

Photos and story of famine in Ethiopia

I saw these links on another blog I read....

These photos really capture the malnutrition problem in Ethiopia for children.   It is so concerning as last year was such a rough year for food production and donated supplies.   It seems that this year will be even more serious because there is no supply to draw from. 

You can read the story here.  

As I am beginning this journey that will forever connect me to this beautiful and troubled country, I find myself thinking about these issues a lot.  How will we make it better?

Wondering and waiting...

So, I was talking to my mom the other night and she told me that she had a dream the night before. Life was as normal, and then all of the sudden there was a beautiful baby with curly dark hair there. She posited, "Maybe your baby was born today."

I immediately got goosebumps and teared up, as I am prone to do. And then I almost threw up.

It took me a minute to understand why I had that reaction, and then I got it.

It could be true. The child that I will be allowed to raise/ care for/ love/ adore/ share my life with could already be born. Or, could be born today. Or, tomorrow. I started thinking about the incredible decision that my child's birth parents could be making today. Or tomorrow.

And, then I started thinking about the child. Is he wrapped on his mother's or grandmother's back as he should be? Or, is he lying alone in a crib? Or, is he being dropped off at a local kebele today? Is he being put to breast or is there a bottle propped up in his tiny little mouth?

Is he dressed in warm layers, or is he wrapped in a threadbare scarf? Is he being cherished as he should be? As every child should be?

Maybe his mother is ill. Maybe he is ill. Maybe he is in a crowded Addis hospital at this very moment. Is he getting the medication he desperately needs, or is there no access to it because the electricity is out?

I think this might be the equivalent of pregnancy. The worrying, the wondering, the waiting... I wish there was something I could do. Like take pre-natal vitamins or go to Lamaze class. Unfortunately, these are the adoption realities.

These things are weighing very heavily, but then I thought today....

maybe my baby was born????!!!!!!

Isn't it absolutely amazing to think that this could be true?

Process update: the last missing piece to this complicated jigsaw puzzle is still my home study document. It is as-we-speak in the hands of the IL DCFS. It should be evaluated and certified within the next few weeks, at which point I will happily/eagerly/anxiously officially go on the wait list for an infant (0-12 month) boy or girl.

please, please, PLEASE...

go to this site... 

Awkward Family Photos

you will DIE!

On the right there is a drop down list of categories for your viewing enjoyment. 

Thumbs Up!

Today, I am giving myself a big thumbs up. The reason why: It's August 1st and everything that I can do has been done!

- Home visit -CHECK

- Dossier submitted- CHECK

-I-600A submitted- CHECK

In addition, those pesky fingerprint problems have gone away- got all of my clearances on Thursday.

Whew! Does this feel great?!

Now, I'm just waiting for my agencies to agree on the perfect home study document and waiting to get my appointment for my USCIS fingerprinting. It may take a little bit to get the home study wrapped up (fingers crossed that the lone woman in Springfied who looks at these has a slow week!), but it does feel great having all of that paperwork out of my house --and off of my dining room table which had become a lateral file cabinet in recent days!

So, in case you're wondering... it will be a little while longer until I'm officially on the wait list. The wait list is around 5-6 months, then to pass court, get an embassy date, and travel to bring home the babe... I'm thinking maybe this time next year I'll be a mom!

I am now home in Indiana visiting family and celebrating with more weddings (4 this year!) and bridal showers. So nice to catch up with family and friends, meet new husbands and husbands-to-be, and relax in E-town.

Thanks to everyone who has asked how it's going-- it feels so nice to answer-- GREAT!!