Ethiopian Adoption Update

I have had several people express an interest in where our Ethiopian Adoption process is at these days, so I will attempt an update.

We have filed our immigration paperwork, and are waiting on word from the powers in Texas that will let us know when our biometrics appointment is. We need this paperwork completed in order to send our dossier to Washington, and then onto Ethiopia. Huge step. Another wait.

We had to have the old fashioned ink fingerprints done at our local police station 2 weeks ago. That was a strange feeling, standing in a hallway with an officer, getting fingerprinted. We were able to send those prints to our State Capital and within the week, they had sent our criminal clearance records back to us. I thought we'd have to go on a 4 hour trip to the Capital to get this done. And for the record, neither of us has any criminal activity in our background. (grin). Tommy was disappointed that they didn't need his fingerprints. I told him he wasn't over 18 yet, so we didn't need to check his background activity. He said, "Everything happens when you're over 18." It must seem that way when you are 5.

The interesting information we found out while on the paperchase has been locating our Nicole's birth certificate. When we adopted her at 4, the state printed a new BC with our information, and we noticed the date they recorded was a day off from the county record. So, for the last 8 years, we have been holding an incorrect BC for her. Knowing we didn't want any issues coming up with our Ethiopian adoption, I have sent a couple of letters trying to get the BC corrected, and also made a trip to our local records office. Come to find out, the State is standing by their record and is saying the county record is incorrect. That is good for our international adoption since we have 4 copies of her BC in house!! But we have been celebrating her birthday a day late for the last 8 years, and she's thrilled to remedy that!! We will still need to get her county record repaired, but at least the adoption is not at a stand still waiting for a corrected record. That is a blessing.

We have sent a final paper to Mike's employer for yet another reference that Ethiopia is requiring, stating that he works there, and is in good standing. I think this is the 3rd or 4th letter we have had to get from Mike's boss. I am thankful that he has been helpful and understanding each time.

We also should be getting word from both of our physicians, stating again, how healthy we are and capable of adoption at this ripe old age of "almost" 50. The rest of the paperwork we need is tucked in a neat little folder, in a HUGE binder (that has grown considerably over the past year and a half), waiting to be sent to our agency in Portland,OR.

After our dossier is translated and sent to and registered in Ethiopia, we become an official waiting family. It is at that point that we begin the wait for a referral of our children. That referal process is taking 4 to 6 months typically now, and then a couple months after referal for the Ethiopian courts to process our request, and finalize our adoption, then 2 months after that before we can bring our children home. This is all dependant on the children's health, whether we accept the referal, and whether the Ministry of Women's Affairs has all our children's paperwork in order for the whole process to progress smoothly.

It's a detailed process to protect the rights of the orphaned children, and we are glad we connected early in our process with a reputable agency that is conscientiously advocating for the children in need. There has been much media coverage of children who have been put at risk for child trafficking, and we have been cautious to stay clear of any agency along the way that did not take the children's best interests to heart. Although it has felt like a long and dragged out ordeal, once our children are identified, we can be sure it was all appropriately done and the children will be able to join our family with no strings attached. We will delight in teaching them the beautiful country they were born into, and preserve any family connections they may have there.

So, that is the update from our livingroom. Some days it feels like we will never reach our children, yet other days we are encouraged by other families who have traveled the same path and find hope in the journey. I am determined not to falter and eventually the path will lead us to our children and I can bring them home forever.

On a lighter note, my Tommy is telling me it is time to change the TV channel. At 5, he is not even slightly interested in Angelina Ballerina cartoons. When I asked him why he did not want to watch it, I assumed he would say it is too "girly" (because his young sisters love the show!!). Instead he said to me, "Because Mice do not dance. None of them around our town does."

Oh, the simplicity of life through the eyes of a child. If only I could view all my own issues in life so simply.

Homestudy in the Bag - LIFE IS GOOD

I feel as if we passed a significant milestone on Saturday. We put a FEDEX packet full of homestudy paperwork into the box, and yesterday we were notified of the few items still needed to proceed. One step forward, 2 steps back. We are nearly complete with our dossier paperwork, which will go directly to the Ethiopian government so they can match us with a waiting child/children. Whew. It really has been time consuming, alot of internet research and overwhelming. But we are so close.

Many other things have happened this past month. This morning I went with Ashleigh to have a biopsy on a thyroid tumor. The ten days prior to today was challenging because it was immediately assumed after her first ultra sound that it was a cancerous tumor, and we have been so scared. No insurance, no regular doctor, and the nerves of steel came crumbling down around our family. Fortunately, the surgeon is under the impression that even if she is in the 5% bracket where it's cancerous, it would be 100% CURABLE! Today was another reminder that if I could have taken away her pain, I would take it in a heartbeat.

Meredith, 5, is going through some testing and surgery during this summer. A kick back from her extreme premature birth. I found myself getting really, really mad at her birthmom this week. Fighting, spitting mad. She lived a deplorable lifestyle, at Mere's expense. I have no idea where she is now, but I do know that Mere' will struggle the rest of her life because of her birthmom's choices. I got past the worst of my anger, but I am still mad. For Mere's sake.

Another one of the older kids is having trouble with their school work. One of the younger kids is needing a medication change. No one sleeps all night right now and there are usually 3 or 4 extra kids in our bed by morning. Life is full. Life is good. Sometimes life is a struggle. Sometimes it's very, very hard.

And then the sun shone brightly this afternoon. The 4 littlest were able to play outside, and although there is mud traipsed through the back of the house, they are happy and ready for baths. The biggest kids are just getting off the school bus, and they will be ready to share the excitement of their days. Somehow things seem so much brighter when the sun shines.

So yeah, it's been a week like that. It's been a month like that. And even today with the sounds of the leaf blower running just to find out that Tommy is blowing popped corns off the back deck, today is a good day. This week is a good week, overall, and this month is a good month.

The paperwork is in the mail. That's a very good thing. Life is good.