After a quiet week of waiting, it appears we will have to make two trips (or, as I am hoping, one longer trip). No one seems to know what this means or how it will be implemented, so we wait. My update email this week was uneventful, as there are still families ahead of us waiting for infant boys, and the whole system is moving more slowly. "I think we're getting close," was the best phrase in the response, and those of us with AAI know we've heard that one before. ;)
In this case, waiting is a good thing. We need time to regroup, time to see what the new rules mean exactly, and time to prepare to meet the challenge of this change.
God is faithful, and we are growing patience!
Rebecca
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Monday, April 26, 2010
Will We Make The Cut-Off?
This is the question in our house this week regarding our adoption.
April 18th marked 11 months of waiting-list time for us, and May 9th marks the implementation date of a new requirement in Ethiopia that adoptive parents appear at the adoption court hearing. Anyone who has a referral and whose file is submitted to the court (to receive a hearing date) before May 9th will not have to travel for the hearing. Anyone whose adoption is submitted May 9th or later will have to travel for the hearing. (This means TWO trips to Ethiopia instead of the one for which we planned.)
We are waiting and praying, waiting and praying. Of course, in everything, we trust that the timing and details will be just right, but we also know we WANT to have a referral and be submitted to court in the next two weeks! It will take an act of God in order for us to only travel once, but we aren't ruling out an act of God!! :)
We have enjoyed watching many new families form in the last few months, as most of the friends we have gained through this process have traveled to get their children, and several others will be on their way soon, including a special couple in our church.
Now, of course, as always, we're ready for it to be our turn!
In many other blog posts, I have posted "next steps," with no change really occurring in what should take place "next" in many, many months. Below, though, I have posted two sets of "next steps," listing the steps should we meet the looming deadline and the steps if we don't.
Happy reading!
Next steps if we receive a referral and are submitted to court before May 9:
1. Referral
2. Submission to court & court date scheduled
3. Court date
4. Wait for embassy date to be scheduled
5. Travel for embassy date and to bring home child(ren)
Good news: Easier and Cheaper
Next steps if we are not submitted to court before May 9:
1. Referral
2. Submission to court & court date for documents scheduled
3. Court date for child's documents, living relatives, etc.
4. Pass first court date
5. Court date scheduled for us to attend.
6. Travel for court, meet baby(ies), see Ethiopia
7. Come home without baby(ies) - unless embassy date can be schedule reasonably quickly.
8. Wait for embassy date to be scheduled.
9. Travel to pick up child(ren) or have them escorted home.
Good news: Since we saw the child(ren) before the adoption was final, the child(ren) are automatically citizens when we reach US soil.
I personally prefer the one with the fewer steps! ;)
We'll let you know what we know in two weeks!
Rebecca
April 18th marked 11 months of waiting-list time for us, and May 9th marks the implementation date of a new requirement in Ethiopia that adoptive parents appear at the adoption court hearing. Anyone who has a referral and whose file is submitted to the court (to receive a hearing date) before May 9th will not have to travel for the hearing. Anyone whose adoption is submitted May 9th or later will have to travel for the hearing. (This means TWO trips to Ethiopia instead of the one for which we planned.)
We are waiting and praying, waiting and praying. Of course, in everything, we trust that the timing and details will be just right, but we also know we WANT to have a referral and be submitted to court in the next two weeks! It will take an act of God in order for us to only travel once, but we aren't ruling out an act of God!! :)
We have enjoyed watching many new families form in the last few months, as most of the friends we have gained through this process have traveled to get their children, and several others will be on their way soon, including a special couple in our church.
Now, of course, as always, we're ready for it to be our turn!
In many other blog posts, I have posted "next steps," with no change really occurring in what should take place "next" in many, many months. Below, though, I have posted two sets of "next steps," listing the steps should we meet the looming deadline and the steps if we don't.
Happy reading!
Next steps if we receive a referral and are submitted to court before May 9:
1. Referral
2. Submission to court & court date scheduled
3. Court date
4. Wait for embassy date to be scheduled
5. Travel for embassy date and to bring home child(ren)
Good news: Easier and Cheaper
Next steps if we are not submitted to court before May 9:
1. Referral
2. Submission to court & court date for documents scheduled
3. Court date for child's documents, living relatives, etc.
4. Pass first court date
5. Court date scheduled for us to attend.
6. Travel for court, meet baby(ies), see Ethiopia
7. Come home without baby(ies) - unless embassy date can be schedule reasonably quickly.
8. Wait for embassy date to be scheduled.
9. Travel to pick up child(ren) or have them escorted home.
Good news: Since we saw the child(ren) before the adoption was final, the child(ren) are automatically citizens when we reach US soil.
I personally prefer the one with the fewer steps! ;)
We'll let you know what we know in two weeks!
Rebecca
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Update
March 18th will make 10 months we have been on the waiting list for a baby from Ethiopia. It hasn't escaped us that had we sought children the traditional way, we would likely have a baby now. We have no regret for this decision, though, so we wait with as much patience as we have.
I only know of two others who are requesting the same age child we are who are also willing to have a boy. I know many ahead of us waiting on girls, but girl families seem to always wait longer than those willing to have a boy. The one incredible thing about being at nearly 10 months is that I haven't seen any family willing to have a boy wait longer than 10.5. That is no guarantee, but gives us hope that we're getting close. Families waiting on girls have waited as long as 15 months (indeed, one family is still waiting who went onto the waiting list in December 2008).
During my last check-in call, our agency director sounded confident we'd have a referral in the next couple of months. Hopefully she was being conservative and we'll hear something between now and the 18th (which is our official anniversary date). Of course, Ryan is hopeful for a referral for his birthday, which is on Monday. :)
You can bet I'll be calling for a check-in again on the 18th or close to it, and you can bet we will post as soon as we know anything.
Rebecca :)
I only know of two others who are requesting the same age child we are who are also willing to have a boy. I know many ahead of us waiting on girls, but girl families seem to always wait longer than those willing to have a boy. The one incredible thing about being at nearly 10 months is that I haven't seen any family willing to have a boy wait longer than 10.5. That is no guarantee, but gives us hope that we're getting close. Families waiting on girls have waited as long as 15 months (indeed, one family is still waiting who went onto the waiting list in December 2008).
During my last check-in call, our agency director sounded confident we'd have a referral in the next couple of months. Hopefully she was being conservative and we'll hear something between now and the 18th (which is our official anniversary date). Of course, Ryan is hopeful for a referral for his birthday, which is on Monday. :)
You can bet I'll be calling for a check-in again on the 18th or close to it, and you can bet we will post as soon as we know anything.
Rebecca :)
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Interesting Article...
Dr. Rick Hodes has served the people of Ethiopia in some capacity since the 1984 famine. His story is woven into Melissa Faye Green's novel, There is No Me Without You. Below is a link to a Readers' Digest article published in December 2008 that details his life and work with an embedded link to a beautiful photo montage. Dr. Hodes serves the people of Ethiopia in a remarkable way, I hope you'll enjoy this glimpse into the important work he does .
http://www.rd.com/your-america-inspiring-people-and-stories/dr-rick-hodes-helps-the-children-of-ethiopia/article104652.html
Ryan
http://www.rd.com/your-america-inspiring-people-and-stories/dr-rick-hodes-helps-the-children-of-ethiopia/article104652.html
Ryan
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Number 7
With excitement I share that two of my "cyber" friends got referrals (matched with a child) of boys today!!! Both of these girls have been very faithful in their waiting and are excited in receiving such news. I have been grateful to share in their journeys, and so I am EXCITED to see them moving forward.
As for us, we are number 7 on the unofficial waiting list for boys. (We would be number 20 or so, I believe, if we specifically requested a girl). We have more waiting to do, but it is great fun to see progress and to celebrate with others.
As a reminder, here is the rest of our process.
1. Referral (matching with a particular child and receiving information about them)
2. Documents submitted to court
3. Court date (we don't have to be there, but if everything goes well, this is the day that our child is officially ours.
4. Embassy Date Scheduled
5. TRAVEL for embassy date and to bring back our child!!!
Rebecca :)
As for us, we are number 7 on the unofficial waiting list for boys. (We would be number 20 or so, I believe, if we specifically requested a girl). We have more waiting to do, but it is great fun to see progress and to celebrate with others.
As a reminder, here is the rest of our process.
1. Referral (matching with a particular child and receiving information about them)
2. Documents submitted to court
3. Court date (we don't have to be there, but if everything goes well, this is the day that our child is officially ours.
4. Embassy Date Scheduled
5. TRAVEL for embassy date and to bring back our child!!!
Rebecca :)
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Waiting for Christmas
A little more than a year ago, we began the journey of adoption. For most of that time, I have optimistically asserted that we would have a baby by Christmas. It is nearly Christmas, and we have still not received a referral; however, I feel confident we will hear something in the months to come (Frankly, I told Rebecca that it is still approximately 144 hours until Christmas, and although we may not have a baby home, we could still receive a referral in that vast expanse of time. Unlikely, yes, but divinely possible).
As we look forward to Christmas, I can't help but imagine the anticipation that Mary and Joseph must have felt as they made the trip to Bethlehem. It is probably not so unlike the anticipation we have felt over the course of the past several months as we look forward to a looming major life transition. So many things seem so uncertain, so unknown. We often think we have been left alone, to our own musings and devices, squinting into a crystal ball, trying to see the future. I have to wonder if this is how Mary and Joseph felt after they were visited by the angel. I have to wonder if they spent the next several months in some kind of state of disbelief, all-the-while trying to see ten, twelve, eighteen months into the future. They must have wondered how this visitation by an angel, an unexpected pregnancy, and the promise of a Savior's birth would change their lives. They too must have been puzzled by these new tastes that enticed their senses.
Every Christmas, we still anticipate the birth of a Savior. This Christmas, we also anticipate new lives with new roles and the coming of a small Ethiopian child, whose face we have never seen, who we are already coming to love.
Merry Christmas,
Ryan
As we look forward to Christmas, I can't help but imagine the anticipation that Mary and Joseph must have felt as they made the trip to Bethlehem. It is probably not so unlike the anticipation we have felt over the course of the past several months as we look forward to a looming major life transition. So many things seem so uncertain, so unknown. We often think we have been left alone, to our own musings and devices, squinting into a crystal ball, trying to see the future. I have to wonder if this is how Mary and Joseph felt after they were visited by the angel. I have to wonder if they spent the next several months in some kind of state of disbelief, all-the-while trying to see ten, twelve, eighteen months into the future. They must have wondered how this visitation by an angel, an unexpected pregnancy, and the promise of a Savior's birth would change their lives. They too must have been puzzled by these new tastes that enticed their senses.
Every Christmas, we still anticipate the birth of a Savior. This Christmas, we also anticipate new lives with new roles and the coming of a small Ethiopian child, whose face we have never seen, who we are already coming to love.
Merry Christmas,
Ryan
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Tis the Season
Ryan and I are still anxiously awaiting our turn for a referral. As far as we can tell, there are between 10 and 12 families probably ahead of us for baby boys. (We did not specify gender, but when you don't specify, you come up first on the boy list usually, as they are currently 4 full months behind on the girl list - they are referring girls to families whose documents were completed last December and they are referring boys to families whose documents were completed in March. 70% of families tend to ask for girls.)
Our final file was submitted in mid-May, so only the families of March and April (and maybe a family or two in May) stand between us and a referral. This still may mean 6 weeks of waiting or 6 months.
For me, I would say this has been a time of tremendous (and slightly unwanted) faith-building. I like to plan, and I like to be able to see what's happening next. Unfortunately with this process, that is simply not an option. So we take each step as it comes and we wait a little more. We are very thankful to be part of a great group of "waiters" and families who have already adopted who are helping to lead our way and who know what it means to obtain faith through complete lack of foreknowledge of what happens next!
As Christmas approaches, we are thankful for a few more months of "just the two of us" and anxious to meet number three.
Rebecca :)
Our final file was submitted in mid-May, so only the families of March and April (and maybe a family or two in May) stand between us and a referral. This still may mean 6 weeks of waiting or 6 months.
For me, I would say this has been a time of tremendous (and slightly unwanted) faith-building. I like to plan, and I like to be able to see what's happening next. Unfortunately with this process, that is simply not an option. So we take each step as it comes and we wait a little more. We are very thankful to be part of a great group of "waiters" and families who have already adopted who are helping to lead our way and who know what it means to obtain faith through complete lack of foreknowledge of what happens next!
As Christmas approaches, we are thankful for a few more months of "just the two of us" and anxious to meet number three.
Rebecca :)
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