Traveling Tomorrow!

Anxiously awaiting! We leave Minneapolis at 3pm tomorrow and will arrive in Addis on Saturday at 9pm! I am not looking forward to the long plane ride with my sciatica, but hopefully I can do some pacing up and down the aisles.

I have checked and re-checked the bags, making sure we have everything. I have more snacks than clothing and lots of treats for the street kids, as well as those at HH. We are looking forward to hugging those babies whose families have asked us to find. Lauren is hoping to be put to work feeding babies, braiding hair and playing soccer at HH. We are sorry our son cannot join us for this trip because of work and school. We will miss you, honey!

Thanks again for all the support and well wishes! Back next Friday!

Happy 4th of July, everyone!

Travel In 4 days!

We are leaving for Addis this Friday! I am just putting together all the donations, meds, clothing, food...and organizing and reorganizing...thank you everyone!

Lauren and I are planning for a week of no make-up and no hair...we are going to spend the week as true beauties! Hope Bereket isn't scared away!(well, he always has his daddy!). My main focus is lots of snacks and entertainment stuff for our little man (maybe some snacks for the big man too) and the 22-hour flight home!

The day after we return, our country will celebrate Bereket's homecoming with a huge firework display!(well, it might coincide with our annual Independence Day celebration, but that's a minor detail). We will be taking lots of pictures of the look on his face when he hears his first explosion!

Lauren is on a mission to catch every moment of this trip and is creating a documentary for her high school. She works on the school cable network and will film, edit and produce a story about her little brother's adoption and transition.

She is also manager on the Varsity Boy's Soccer team, in which Bereket has been invited to sit on the bench and assist with practices. I believe he will get a matching team jacket! (maybe he can show them a few tricks??)

Lauren also coaches at the summer drama camp for kids and is anticipating he will come along and meet some friends. It's a good thing we got her this wonderful gift for her 17th birthday! And...so much for the "cocooning" idea. (that's a term used to recommend we keep him on the "low-down" during his transition). We will try, but this is a busy household and Bereket may be left with only one choice..."join in!"

Time to scoot...I have some serious packing to do! Wait...did I mention he wanted to be a pilot? Sooo cute!!

Cleared For Travel!

Bereket's X-rays came back great and we are cleared for travel! Time to get bookin' on the travel itinerary. Will post when we have our departure date! Thanks everyone for your prayers!

TB test

Should I even write this??..So, Bereket had a reaction to the TB test...on to X-rays...we should know by Thursday. Could this be any more exhausting??

I Am Lovin' Mondays!

Today was a newsy day for sure! We first got the size update for Bereket's clothes. It looks like he is fairly on track with kids his age. But, then we got the most heartwarming update on his little personality...

"Bereket is a sociable, affectionate and beautiful young man. Bereket absolutely loves to play soccer! However, he does need a new pair of sneakers so please plan on bringing these with you. He is looking forward to meeting his family and always talks about how he wants to be a pilot. He is very smart, gentle and sweet spirited."

Adorable! I wonder why he wants to be a pilot?? Because of his new daddy? So Cute!!

Next, we received tentative travel dates. I thought we would be looking at July 3-9, for some reason. But...we are leaving next week!!! We will need to be in Ethiopia by June 28th! I can't even get my head wrapped around it! Shower cancelled for now.

So far, we have packed his clothes, boxers, socks, toothbrush and of course...brand spankin' new sneakers! See ya soon, buddy!

Our new baby (who is 9 years old)

I just wanted to update a little...after getting the wonderful news that we passed court, I have totally relaxed. Yet, there is still more to come...we had hoped the agency would call us with our travel date and clothing sizes. We are still waiting. While waiting, the world still goes 'round...some of the families in our agency didn't get such great news and my heart breaks for them. This adoption journey has definitely had its ups and downs. I feel selfish thinking that I want a travel date or a shirt size, when others haven't been able to travel or pass court. Forgive me.

In the meantime, so many of our friends have offered to give us a shower! I feel silly accepting this kind of help since we are not new to parenting...just haven't had a little one around in a while. We are truly blessed to have such supportive friends. We don't live near family, so these friends are our family.

Bereket is truly a celebrity here and people are anxious to meet him! I haven't been allowed to post pics of him prior to the legal adoption, and to be honest, I am not sure if I can now?? But, this last one taken by a sweet, agency family is so stinkin' cute, I can't help myself. If it disappears...I got in trouble!

We Passed!!

It's a happy Monday! We just heard that our Bereket is officially ours! We can now post his name and call him son and baby brother! We will wait for TB results and travel dates this week. It looks like a trip to Africa in early July for us! What a great way to celebrate Independence Day with a new family member and future US citizen! Oh! and Happy Birthday to our daughter, Lauren, who will also celebrate her 17th birthday on this trip, with a very special present! She is SO excited to be a big sister, finally!

Hangin' In There!

Thank you to everyone that has been calling, texting and checking in. The support we have had has been amazing! Unfortunately, the only update we have received so far, is that there is no update...Our caseworker sent everyone an email saying that with the weekend, it could go into next week before we hear anything.

On a positive side, families with court the day before us, heard today that they had passed. Congratulations to them! Also, some of the families that were traveling this last week to pick up their children, are returning this weekend. They may have some news on our little boy!? I am hopeful!

We are hangin' in there!

No News Yet...

I know I wasn't the only one waiting for the phone to ring! There were several families that had court dates this week and I know of only one who has heard anything. I wonder if they should even tell us when our case goes to court. Maybe I would just like to know when we pass!

Tomorrow could be the day we get news...otherwise, we may not hear anything till next week. Our prayers continue...

Tonight's the Night...

Our case goes to court tonight after we go to bed. I can't believe this day has finally arrived! We may not hear results till next week...which makes for a long and agonizing weekend. In any case, I am praying for all of this week's appointments to be successful!

Thanks everyone, for all of the support and prayers...I will keep you posted!

3 more days...

In three more days, we will have our case evaluated in Ethiopia and hopefully, approved for adoption! I am constantly thinking of those families who are picking up their children this week. We would have been in that group if we hadn't run into a few snags.

I am trying not to think too much about the next couple of days...I am looking even farther ahead to after the TB tests, travel date, etc. Yet, it's exciting to think that by the end of the week, I may be a mother of three! So strange...I ALWAYS wanted three kiddies!

I am thankful for any prayers for a swift and joyful approval!