Jeesh, the longer you go without blogging, the harder it is to get back. I am ovewhelmed with much living. Here's a little post just to get going again.
Ethiopia Update
Adoptions have not come to a screeching halt as feared in March, but there is still uncertainty. We are preparing to wait a long time for our second kiddo. The process, when all was said and done, took about a year to adopt Bear. Dodd and I are preparing for 3 years this time. Hopefully sooner, but preparing for longer. If you are praying for this country and her children, please continue.
US Update
The homestudy is complete and we are waiting for a fingerprint appointment from US Immigration. We were relieved the US government did not shut down last month since it would have included Immigration. This time around we are required to have immigration approval before we can go on the waitlist. Last time we waited for immigration at the same time we waited for referral. Adds about 3 months to the process.
Family Update
We are holding it together but just by the skin of our teeth. Work is good, Bear is great. My job requires travel this year which is causing some family synching problems. Nothing terrible, but it throws off our routines and adds some pressure for all three of us. Both of us love our work and we are crazy about our boy so it's all good. Just not much margin at the moment for anything else besides the two. Trying to cut back a little to restore some balance and maybe talk to some friends from time to time!
Bear Update
I don't even know where to start with the new things he is doing, seeing, learning, how much he's growing. Instead, here is an interesting random tidbit. To appreciate it I'll provide some context. My husband loves books and loves learning. As a result, he has without exaggeration, a couple thousand books in his library.
There is one book Bear chooses of the hundreds of books within his reach on the shelves...Ethiopian Amharic. It's the tiny little translation book we took with us to Addis. We forgot it was even on the shelf in the study. Dodd sometimes turns it around so the spine is facing the back wall just to see if Bear is really choosing it specfically. He will spot it, even backwards. There's not much in it to attract a kid other than the colorful cover. But we frequently find him carrying it around the house and carefully turning the pages inside.
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You can't take Ethiopia out of the boy. Or a picture without a runny nose!
Leaves are FINALLY about to burst in Wisconsin. Happy Spring!
Ethiopia Update
Adoptions have not come to a screeching halt as feared in March, but there is still uncertainty. We are preparing to wait a long time for our second kiddo. The process, when all was said and done, took about a year to adopt Bear. Dodd and I are preparing for 3 years this time. Hopefully sooner, but preparing for longer. If you are praying for this country and her children, please continue.
US Update
The homestudy is complete and we are waiting for a fingerprint appointment from US Immigration. We were relieved the US government did not shut down last month since it would have included Immigration. This time around we are required to have immigration approval before we can go on the waitlist. Last time we waited for immigration at the same time we waited for referral. Adds about 3 months to the process.
Family Update
We are holding it together but just by the skin of our teeth. Work is good, Bear is great. My job requires travel this year which is causing some family synching problems. Nothing terrible, but it throws off our routines and adds some pressure for all three of us. Both of us love our work and we are crazy about our boy so it's all good. Just not much margin at the moment for anything else besides the two. Trying to cut back a little to restore some balance and maybe talk to some friends from time to time!
Bear Update
I don't even know where to start with the new things he is doing, seeing, learning, how much he's growing. Instead, here is an interesting random tidbit. To appreciate it I'll provide some context. My husband loves books and loves learning. As a result, he has without exaggeration, a couple thousand books in his library.
There is one book Bear chooses of the hundreds of books within his reach on the shelves...Ethiopian Amharic. It's the tiny little translation book we took with us to Addis. We forgot it was even on the shelf in the study. Dodd sometimes turns it around so the spine is facing the back wall just to see if Bear is really choosing it specfically. He will spot it, even backwards. There's not much in it to attract a kid other than the colorful cover. But we frequently find him carrying it around the house and carefully turning the pages inside.
.
You can't take Ethiopia out of the boy. Or a picture without a runny nose!
Leaves are FINALLY about to burst in Wisconsin. Happy Spring!
Very happy for you guys as you get closer to that waitlist!
ReplyDeleteThat Bear of yours is one handsome boy--runny nose or not! And it's true. . . Ethiopia is IN our babies! We sponsor a little girl from Ethiopia (from Jimma!) through Compassion and have her picture framed in our home. K carries that thing around and talks about the little girl like she knows her. To the point that we've wondered whether maybe she really did--as crazy as that would be--but it's clear she feels some sort of connection (and it's not the only picture we have of another child with brown skin). And another thing--we usually throw in an Ethiopian tune or two (either traditional music or Ethiopian hip-hop) into the playlists that we create for home or the car--not a lot, but maybe one will be in the rotation every 20-30 songs. K loves all music, but when that Ethiopian beat comes on, she really goes wild and wants us to rewind and play it again and again. And stickers on the face! Our big girls never do that so I know she didn't get it from them. But all of the Hannah's Hope kids did. And anytime anyone hands K a sticker, where does it go--on her face! I'm convinced that she remembers, and that Ethiopia is in her blood!
ReplyDeleteLOL, I'm reading C's post and can say the same things about my two ET princesses... Yesterday, R and I were talking about her lack of dancing at dance class. We were having a good conversation, and I thought I was getting through to her or whatever... until she randomly stuck two stickers on her face-- it was all downhill from there.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe how big Bear looks-- like such a little boy instead of a baby or toddler. I'm soooo hoping we get to come to Wisconsin this summer!!!
He looks SO big! Glad that you're all doing well! 3 years wait....are you serious? Oh, that stops my heart. Still praying~
ReplyDelete