Baby Watermelon

Just in case you were wondering, you can't practice using your baby carrier with a watermelon, because watermelon don't have legs.

And no, we haven't heard a F------ thing from the agency regarding Samuel or getting his case to the US Embassy. NOT. ONE. WORD. We passed court 6 WEEKS AGO. 6 WEEKS AGO!

GREEN EGGS AND SAM.

I talked with our agency today. 

Q: Any update on his paperwork?

A: No - internet has been down in Ethiopia so we don't know where things stand.

Q: Do you have his passport or birth certificate? Court decree?

A: No, no and maybe - the court decree might be stuck in cyberspace. We think they've sent it, but we don't have it.

Q: We've heard the US embassy has been scrutinizing cases even more than usual, is this true?

A: Well, it's a busy time of season and they've really been scrutinizing more since Jan 1st. So yes and no.

Q: Are you talking with our lawyer and agency rep in Ethiopia?
A: When we can hear him.

Q: We are thinking of having Terry go over to take custody, are other families doing the same?

A: The US government has sent us recommendations on that, we'll send out when we can.

Q: Can we have family help us start contacting our senators and representatives for support and pressure on the Embassy in Addis?

A: Your paperwork hasn't even gotten to embassy.

Q: Can you give me any information on timing?

A: No

Q: I am losing my mind. Is there anything you can tell me????

A: No, sorry. Not really.

SERIOUSLY?????? OK. I AM FREAKING OUT!  SO THERE!! 
WE PASSED COURT MORE THAN A MONTH AGO! FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, PLEASE LET US GET OUR SON HOME. I WANT MY BABY AND I WANT HIM NOW!! I AM AT WIT'S END! I WANT MY BABY HOME, SAFE, IN MY ARMS, NOT IN AN ORPHANAGE.  (YES! THIS IS NOT THE PRETTIEST PART, BUT IT'S A PART OF ME RIGHT NOW!) I WANT TO SCREAM AND YELL AND TELL PEOPLE TO HURRY UP!! SIGN PAPERS!! GET APPROVALS!! I WANT MY BABY! I DO NOT WANT TO BE CALM. I DO NOT WANT TO BE PATIENT. I DO NOT WANT TO LET THINGS HAPPEN IN THEIR OWN TIME. I DO NOT WANT TO BREATH DEEPLY! 

I DO NOT WANT TO WAIT A WHILE! I DO NOT WANT TO TRY TO SMILE! I DO NOT WANT GREEN EGGS AND HAM!


I WANT MY LITTLE BABY, SAM!

And DO NOT suggest I calm down, please. 

(Guess it's a good thing this is as private blog, if I'm going to let it all out like this.)

This moment.

I wake every morning at 5:30 thinking about him. I can't get back to sleep. He was 5 months old when we first saw him, he's now 10 months old. He has been our son for half of his life, yet we've spent less than 10 hours with him. 

We've been so blessed in all of this. More than blessed. He is so beautiful. Our friends, family colleagues and even strangers have been incredibly and amazingly supportive and generous. We have so much. Our Ethiopia process has been "easy"...for an international adoption. 

But can we please have one more miracle and get him home soon? Please?

I think about him all the time, yet looking at pictures of him makes my heart hurt. I know we must focus on now - the present, and not spend time hoping or wanting what isn't in this very moment. I also know I need to hold him and have him while he's still a baby.

We're ready, BBS. Please come home to us.

Namaste, Selam, God Bless.

Most. Productive. Weekend. Ever!

My mom and dad were here for a long weekend, and all I can say is that Terry and I both wish we had the energy that my parents do! They were an incredible help, not to mention fun to be with. (Unfortunately they may never return, we worked so hard!) 

Here are just a few things we accomplished:

• 3 trips to IKEA (stab me in the eye with a fork!)
• 1 trip to BabiesRUS (stab me in the eye with a spoon!)
• Multiple trips to the hardware store
• Built toy organizers and bookshelves for baby's room 
• Sorted and organized and toys and "stuff"
• Washed, folded and stored clothes for when he's a bit bigger (which is most of them!)
• Built crib and got mattress 
• Cleaned and organized baby room
• Built shelves for extra storage in laundry room
• Built closet in guest bathroom for storage
• Packed up china and moved china cabinet
• Built new storage piece for living room to allow places for toys and storage
• Prepared for and hosted a BBQ for 30 of our closest international adoption friends
• Went to a baby shower in Nederland hosted by Terry's oldest friend (time, not age!) Tracy, and my longest-time Colorado friend, Suzanne 
• Visited with our wonderful friend Nature who introduced and married Terry and me (since she was in town for the shower)
• Had dinner with some close friends of ours and my parents' in Boulder
• Mom made an awesome gluten-free peach cobbler

Here's the baby's room with the new IKEA storage. Terry's mom and I helped him with his awesome tree mural a few weeks ago. Crib pictures to come.

Here's the new storage in the living room (not IKEA), which replaced the china cabinet we had. SO much more space for toys now in the main part of the house!

We still have lots to do - but wow - was this weekend an amazing help and a great time! Thanks, mom and dad!!!

Now for the thing I need to do with no help (unless my hubby steps up...) is WRITE THANK YOU NOTES! Have got to get on this.

Still no word on bringing him home. I really, really am not good with this waiting. REALLY. Can't even talk about timing or I break down.

Waiting Again. Still.

Just a quick update. Now we're waiting for our file to be transferred to the US Embassy, and await their investigation and our eventual embassy date. Timing? Who knows. 6-8 weeks we hope!

HE IS OUR BOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We have been awarded custody!!!

I have never been so happy in my life. We just got the call that our MOWA letter came through TODAY in Ethiopia, and we have passed court. HE IS OUR SON! We have dodged the court closures by mere hours!!!

The thought of him in the orphanage for an extra 2-4 months was more than I could bear. I was up all night: "It's 2pm in Addis, there's still time...",  "It's 3pm in Addis, there's still time..."  and so on. I fell asleep on the floor in his room. I lit candles. I prayed. I cried. I worried. I prayed. I read him books. I cried.

Thank you Universe! Thank you God, thank you Buddha, thank you Allah, thank you everyone who has us in their thoughts!!

It's a miracle. I am a mama. Terry is a daddy. Jackson's a big brother. We're a family!

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Now, I must give back. I am collecting shoes and formula for our next trip. These babies need help. I'll take as much as we can carry.

And, I must make this note. One year ago tomorrow, August 6th, 2010, Nepal closed for adoption. We mourn the child we lost, the children our friends lost, and we have our friends who had to fight and nearly go bankrupt to get their children home in our hearts.

Selam. Peace.

Hanging by a thread.

OK - update!

We have been so incredibly blessed and lucky in this process with Ethiopia.

And, I thought we were "free and clear" by getting our court date before court closures in August/September in Ethiopia. Notsofast! After talking with our agency today we learned that, it turns out, we're not through with the court system yet, and could still be potentially impacted by the closures. We will know more this week, but since we don't have a letter (MOWA) we're waiting on, the judge can't give final sign-off on our paperwork. It is unclear as of right now whether there will be a judge in court during the closures to sign off on completed cases. Our agency was semi-positive and very non-commital on what the chances of our case getting processed this week.

(I will resist the urge to comment extensively on the impact this new information is having on my overall well-being.)

So - more waiting, more hoping, more trying to breathe.

In the meantime, I am focusing on:

1. Pulling together donations for the orphanage for our return trip. (We need shoes, diapers and formula - at this point I hope to have 2 duffel bags full.) 
2. Raising money for the crisis in the Horn of Africa. You can feed a child - $10 for 10 days - Donate $10 by texting the word AID to 27722 through the World Food Programme. We've donated in BBS's name, and an email will be sent to his email address.  Please consider working with your community to increase awareness of the situation, and a fund-raiser with your family, friends and colleagues.

Find more ways to contribute, here. 

Selam/Namaste/Thank you.