pieces coming together

Our crib arrived yesterday (thanks Mom!) I never thought I'd be so excited over a couple of pieces of wood! I felt like the father in A Christmas Story when the leg lamp arrived (fraageelay-must be Italian) I was tearing apart boxes and throwing styrofoam everywhere! Needless to say, I couldn't stand looking at it in pieces for the next 6 months so today, after the Bears wonderful win, Ryan put the crib together (yay!)

It literally took him 20 mins and when he was all done he toasted it with a beer in typical Ryan fashion.

Waiting

As of today we are officially WAITING!!!!

I can't believe it...I feel like I am going to explode.

It is crazy to think that we could receive a call at any time that will totally change our lives. Now, in all actuality, we probably won't receive "The Call" for another 4-6 months BUT the possibility is there.

I wonder who our child is? Is he or she even born yet? What circumstances are going to bring them into our lives? I am very happy and yet, it's a bittersweet moment. It is very hard for me to think of what horrible event has to happen in their short little life to bring them to us. What pain do they have to endure their first moments, days, weeks or months? I just hope that wherever they are right now, they are safe.

Addis in 4:30

A hair-raising, super sped up drive thru the streets of Addis Ababa.
I can't believe how close the driver came to mowing down several pedestrians and rear-ending other cars!

signed, sealed and almost delivered

IT IS FINALLY DONE AND READY TO BE MAILED!!!!!!
I have had a very hectic 2 days- I seriously felt like I was on some sort of psychotic scavenger hunt but all that hectic-ness(I know, it's not a word) has paid off and our dossier is signed, sealed and ready to be delivered! I have checked and double checked and then checked again and I am fairly certain that everything is in order (oh God, I hope its in order) I will be dropping it in the mail tomorrow morning and CHSFS should hopefully receive it by Tuesday and then I hope to hear from them not too long after that about whether everything is in order and if we have moved into the waiting stage.

Then we wait.....and wait....approximately 4-6 months for a referral and then another 12 weeks before we can travel. I don't know what is going to be worse- waiting to be matched with a child or knowing who our baby is but having to sit here for 3 months, thousands of miles away from them waiting to get on a plane.

Homestudy...tested and approved

YIPEE!!!

I received word today that our homestudy has been approved! It's been about 5 months coming but now we are ready to move onto the next phase of "waiting"

I am hoping to hear from CHSFS after Christmas (like on Tuesday!) about what other documents are needed for our dossier and (hopefully) we can gather those and notarize/certify everything in one day before Ryan starts up the winter quarter at DePaul.

I think that 2007 is going to be a great year!

In the mail

Our homestudy is (finally) in the mail!
I got word today that our social worker sent a copy to CHSFS, USCIS and to us. I had actually heard from CHSFS earlier in the week that they had recieved a rough copy and just needed 1 more thing from our social worker and then it would be approved so I am hoping that it won't take too long to hear an official "approval". As soon as CHSFS approves our homestudy they will send us a list of the remaining documents we need for our dossier and then we are on "The List"

I am starting to get a little nervous about wait times as they are (supposedly) increasing and the wait to travel after referral is up to 12 weeks-this would put us around August if we are lucky and recieve a referral in 4 months and squeak by the court closure. I don't know where I am going to find all of the patience I need!

doro wat

Today was the 1st annual Ethiopian Kids Community Holiday Brunch and I had a great time! It was really wonderful to see all of the kids who are home with their families, they are all so beautiful and happy. It really made me even more excited to move this process along :o)

It was also really nice to meet some of the people I have become friends with online, it's nice to be able to put faces with names.

Also, to sort of celebrate finally recieving the draft of our homestudy I actually cooked a meal...and a good one at that!

I made Doro Wat and it was fantastic!! (for those of you who don't know me, I don't cook well.. if at all) On my way home from the brunch today, I swung by the Kukulu Market on Broadway and purchased some pre-made injera and I will definitely be doing that from now on! The old man behind the counter was very funny and made me promise to come back and tell him how my "culinary adventure" turned out. I told him my wat will never be as good as the Ethiopian Diamond but I would do my best! And it turned out well for someone that can barely boil an egg.

----> See! It sort of looks right!

At least the injera looks damn good!

----> leftovers the next night!