The Great Wait!

Well, now that our dossier has been officially delivered to our agency worker in Addis, we have kind of hit a lull of sorts. We assume we won't hear much more until we receive a referral of a baby boy. We have been told to expect a wait of 3 to 7 months. Based on that time period, the earliest we would/could get a referral would be March 20, 2008. Although we are praying and hoping for a more speedy process, we praise God for His sovereignty and great care in this process. I will continue updating the blog as things arise. Thanks for checking in and reading. Thanks for joining our travels as we continue on in the adoption process!

The Dryer is Ready For Baby Clothes

Nice post title, I know. But here's the deal. Kathee and I have not had a working dryer since we lived in Minnesota. However, some years back a family in the church was moving and gave the youth ministry 2 washing machines and 2 dryers. They asked that I sell them and put any money made towards the youth mission trip. So Kathee and I bought one of the dryers. I believe that was about 4 years ago. Our house didn't have the correct wiring for a dryer, so we just let it sit. My good friend Adam volunteered to put in the wiring and wire up the dryer, so a few weeks ago we wired it up. After hooking it up it made a horribly loud noise, so I was pretty sure we were going to have to make other arrangements. After taking the back off and looking at the belt, I thought it was the motor (keep in mind that I have no idea about any mechanical stuff like that). So last evening Adam took a look at it. We started it up and quickly found it wasn't the belt or the motor. Adam thought it was a problem with the blower-exhaust. After shooting some light in the blower pipe, he pulled out a sock that was caught. So when the dryer was turned on, the sock was making this screaming noise as it flopped back and forth. Adam took it out, and it's the quietest dryer, and runs great! We are so excited! We dried our first load last night! Getting the dryer in usable order was one of our goals before the baby arrives. Man, how great. Thanks Adam, you are the greatest!

Everybody Loves a Husker Baby

Kathee and I opened some presents tonight (I know, I know, it's the 23rd of December). One of my volunteer staff (who also happens to be Kathee's boss) gave me a red onezy (can someone please help me spell that correctly?) for a 12-month old baby with that says "Everybody Loves a Husker Baby." My only questions is, how am I going to fit into it? I guess I'll just have to give it to our son so he can wear it when he fits into it. So cool, I can't wait for Nebraska gameday in 2008 (which so happens to be in 117 days, 11 hours, 28 minutes, and 20 seconds from right now!!!).

The Dossier has been delivered!!!

Date/Time

Activity

Location

Details

Dec 20, 2007

2:30 PM

Delivered

BOLE SUB-CITY, ADDIS ABABA ET

Dec 11, 2007

12:00 AM

Int'l shipment release

ADDIS ABABA ET

12:00 AM

Held at FedEx location for recipient pickup

ADDIS ABABA ET

Package available for pickup at: HIGHER NO 21

Dec 9, 2007

1:09 AM

In transit

FRANKFURT DE

1:09 AM

Arrived at FedEx location

FRANKFURT DE

Dec 8, 2007

6:09 AM

Departed FedEx location

MEMPHIS, TN

1:37 AM

Departed FedEx location

MEMPHIS, TN

12:14 AM

Arrived at FedEx location

MEMPHIS, TN

Dec 7, 2007

9:24 PM

Left origin

HERNDON, VA

4:47 PM

Picked up

HERNDON, VA

2:30 PM

Package data transmitted to FedEx

Bush Urges Americans to Adopt Orphans

By Melissa Charbonneau

CBN News

November 23, 2007

Watch Low Band

RELATED LINK:
Adopt Us Kids

CBNNews.com - The White House is reaching out to faith-based and community groups to find homes for the nation's 115,000 children in foster care, waiting to be adopted.

Dawn Cooper, a single mom of four adopted teenage girls, says misperceptions abound - especially regarding the adoption of older children.

Watch for more on adopting foster care children, from Jim Daly, president of Focus on the Family. Daly talks about his experiences in foster homes.

Some of those misconceptions include the belief "that there's no way for them, no hope for them. That there's nothing you can do. That if you don't get them as infants, you just can't bring them into the home. And that's totally incorrect," she said.

Cooper's daughters advise children considered difficult to place to hold out hope.

"I'd say just keep trying, keep wanting to get a family, because when I was eight I prayed that I would get a loving mom. Then kind of a week after, I got a mom and I was so happy," Dawn's daughter, Elisa, said.

'Bella' Sparks Nation-wide Debate

A film called Bella is sparking nationwide debate about adoption. It's film's leading man, actor/producer Eduardo Verastegui, spoke at the White House as United Nations unofficial ambassador for adoption.

"Families have changed their lives forever after adopting a child. Because it's not only that a family can give a child a home, but they themselves would have the gift of motherhood and fatherhood. So in adoption… everybody wins," Verastegui said.

The Bush administration has expanded tax credit to encourage more families to adopt. Currently it's running an ad campaign to recruit adoptive families

"Families who adopt show the generous spirit of our Nation. Every child desires a permanent home, and when parents adopt a child to love as their own, lives are forever changed," President Bush said.

There is also a White House Web site designed to connect those available for adoption with families like Victor and Rhonda Long, who found their third adopted child online.

The White House says the government can help recruit potential parents, but faith based and community groups must play a critical role to bring more families together.

*Original broadcast November 16, 2007.

Shaohannah's Hope

Kathee and applied for a grant through Steven Curtis Chapman's organization, Shaohannah's Hope. We got word today that they would like more information (man, how much more information would they like, we already gave them pretty much everything?). In just one more of the many mind games we've found we play in this process, we are hoping the need for more information is a good sign. And so we wait! We'll keep you updated when we know more!

Bella

I'm not a big movie guy, although my wife is! She is all about going to the movies, she just loves them. As our couple's Bible study was canceled tonight, I asked Kathee if she would like to see what was playing at the movies. We decided to go to the movie Bella.
I had read about the movie Bella somewhere, that it is a movie about adoption. I read that it won some awards in Canada and that it was playing in select theaters in the US. So I was pumped to see it is playing in our cheap theater.
I'm really glad we went to the movie. Not surprisingly, the movie is about restoration and new beginnings. There is very little action in the movie, but is a simple story that packs a huge punch. Jose is the main character, a young man living in NYC. After a tragedy that ended his professional soccer career just as it is getting started, he finds himself working at his brother's restaurant as the head chief. One of the waitresses, late for work for the fourth time, gets fired by Jose's brother. Jose decides to leave work and follow the girl and find out what's going on. It turns out she is pregnant and is pretty-well determined to get an abortion so she doesn't further screw up her own life and the life of her unborn child.
Here's the great thing. It's great to see a strong, compassionate man portrayed in a movie who isn't or doesn't turn out to be gay. It's great to see simple, ordinary men of honor and integrity portrayed on the big screen. It was neat to see a good family interact and see the type of impact that can have (at one point in the movie the fired-waitress asks Jose what's it's like to have grown up and live where joy is present.
By the end of the movie I had tears. I enjoyed the story very much. Not much action. Not incredibly great dialog. Make sure you sit in the back (as at times the camera work was jerky, which made me just about vomit... we moved further back. But the movie was incredibly enjoyable. I'd see it again.

David's Place

Although our dossier continues to sit in FedEx's office in Addis, we are choosing to be patient and allow God's timing to dictate. Although, I must say I it is wearing me pretty thin (even after we received the email reminding us that it may sit for a while). However, I am choosing to write today about a really cool experience Kathee and I had this past Friday. Kathee and I drove to Iowa City to go to David's place, an Ethiopian and Eritrean restaurant, and then to register for baby stuff.
We had such a ball. Kathee and I have had Ethiopian food before (Kathee while living in Kenya and the both of us taking a friend of ours for it while visiting in Chicago). So we kinda of knew how it works. So we ordered three entres for the four of us. The cool part is that you don't use utensils but pull off a piece of enjara (an Ethiopian bread-like staple. Much like a pancake, although much larger and flater and has little air bubbles all over it) and pick up the food and eat it. And the food comes on a platter in the middle of the table, and everyone eats from the platter. Man was it outstanding. We got lamb, chicken, beef, with a side of some squash that was amazing. One of the entres was a bit spicey, and the rest was flavorful. My sister-in-law is not one to "go out on a limb" eating new and unique foods, and she really enjoyed the food.
We are certainly going back again. If you ever get the chance, go for it, it's really, really good.

The Dossier is in Addis Ababa

Well, our dossier has made it to Addis. It may still be a few days before our America World Adoption workers picks it up, but it has made it! We are so excited! America World told us that it will be between 3 and 7 months from the day it arrives in Ethiopia until we receive a referral. After we accept the referral it's 6 to 8 weeks before we fly to be united with our son! Wow! God continues to wow us with His love, protection, and providence.

Tracking the Dossier

Our dossier successfully made the trek over the pond and is now sitting in Frankfurt, Germany!

Our Dossier is on the way!!!!

Our dossier has been sent out 4 days before they said "tentatively" be sent out! Everything thus far has been faster than expected. Let's just pray that continues! Here's the email we received!

Dear Families,

Your authenticated dossier will be mailed to Ethiopia today! The FedEx tracking number is (sorry, I deleted this so you guys don't get the updates before we do). I will also mail your photocopies of the authentication pages today.

As you track your dossier, please keep a couple of things in mind. First of all, do not be worried if the package makes stops in European or other countries for long periods of time. This is normal, and I've seen this happen often. Also, when the FedEx office in Ethiopia receives packages for our in-country staff representative, they call him to pick up the package rather than deliver it to his office. Because the FedEx office is not in close proximity to our staff member's office, it often takes him a few days to pick up the package. If you see notes that the package has arrived in Ethiopia but not been picked up, this is why.

Congratulations on the completion of this portion of your adoption process! If you have questions or concerns during the waiting period, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,

Laurel E.

Assistant Ethiopia Program Director

My New Passport Arrived Today

There are times in life when you amaze yourself with your lack of insight with the obvious. As we were finishing up our dossier stuff, Kathee stumbled upon the fact that my passport turns obsolete in March. That's great, except that it appears we may be headed to Ethiopia (we hope) in April. So I got into meltdown mode after hearing last summer that it now takes like 6 months for a passport. So I sent in my current passport a couple weeks ago and got it back today. Can you imagine the disappointment of not being able to go to Ethiopia because my passport wasn't good anymore? My wife rocks my face off. And man, my passport picture??? I look good! Oh yeah, and I was pumped that I got my old one back.

November Newsletter From Our Adoption Agency

Ethiopia

Our big news in the Ethiopia program this month is that our new transition home is equipped with all the basics, staff has been hired, and our first group of children have been moved into the home. We are up and running! To continue the process of refining the transition home, Rachel Ward and her husband Barrett traveled to Ethiopia on November 26^th and will be in country for 10 days. They will be working with our in-country rep, Girmachew and the transition home staff during their time there.

Thank you to everyone who made such generous donations for the transition home. We are still in need of a few large and small items for the home. If you would like to help meet these needs, please send contributions to America World-Attn: Finance, and note on the memo line- Ethiopia transition home.

We continue to work with the court and MOWA to get court dates and necessary letters for finalization of the children who were referred to their families in October. Five family’s court dates had to be rescheduled to December 7^th because of a slow down in MOWA’s processing of their letters for court. We covet your continuous prayers for the program, transition home, and the smooth fulfillment of the Dec. 7^th court appointments.

Lunch with an Ethiopian

A little over a month ago I was having lunch with some local youth pastors at a local restaurant. As we walked in, one of the youth pastors started talking with the host. As we were walking to our seats, John told me that the host is a member of his church and is from Ethiopia. Once I told John that Kathee and I are adopting from Ethiopia, he introduced me to Mulu (the man's name). Mulu escaped from Ethiopia in 1979 during the civil war that was taking place there. He lived in a refugee camp for two years before coming to America. His mother still lives in Addis. We exchanged information and I assured him Kathee and I would like to meet and learn more about him and his homeland.
So last evening I called and talked with him and invited him to our home for lunch on Sunday. We are super-excited about this opportunity! And as we are reading the Lonely Planet book on Ethiopia, we are excited to ask him more and have him teach us. It's neat how God opens doors that we have no idea about when we walk through.
God is so good.

The dossier is headed to Ethiopia

Hey everyone. Just thought I'd give you a brief update. We sent in our dossier on Wednesday afternoon to our adoption agency. The dossier included ALL the paper work we had to have filled out. It was between 65 and 80 pages. It arrived Thursday morning in Virginia (where our adoption agency is located) by 10:30am. Our adoption coordinator (Laurel) spent all day Thursday reviewing our dossier to insure everything was correct. We received a call at 5:05pm on Thursday with the news that "all looks great in our dossier." She went in to say that the tentative date our dossier will be sent to Ethiopia will be December 12. We assume that date is due to the US government having to approve what the states of Illinois, Iowa, and Minnesota approved, and secondly, that America World (our adoption agency) is collecting other dossiers in which they will send to Ethiopia together. Laurel also told us that we can EXPECT 3 to 7 months from the date the dossier arrives in Ethiopia until we receive a referral (A referral is a baby that fits our perimeters, medical history, and bio- if a bio is available). Upon us approving the referral, we will then head to Addis Ababa 6 to 8 weeks later to finalize the adoption.
So, as usual, another hurdle has been passed, we have been greatly encouraged, and yet there is still a good level of uncertainty-in-waiting. We still hope March-April, but could be August before our son arrives home. That's it for now. Thanks for celebrating this next step with us!

Because He is worthy!

An amazing blessing!

Although this is my first post, and have much to share to "get everyone up to speed," I thought I'd write about one of the most amazing things that has happened to Kathee and I so far in this process to adopt our son. As I sat in the sanctuary this morning doing my normal preparations for the worship service, a lady in our church came up and sat beside me and handed me a plastic bag with an envelope inside. She said the envelope was not from her, but that if I wanted to send a thank you note that I should give it to her and she'd get it to the right place. The envelope said I was to open it at home, which I would have done anyway as Kathee was home sick today. Upon opening the envelope, there were no less than 50 hundred dollar bills inside. Can you imagine? Someone whom didn't want us to know who was blessing us, gave us $5000 in cash to help with adoption costs. Are you kidding me? Kathee started crying, I was just dumbfounded (surprise). So naturally, we praise God for His continued lavishing of His love upon us, His providing for our needs, and blessing us beyond anything we can imagine! God is so good! Please celebrate with us as God's work in our lives and in this process is obvious and praiseworthy!