adoption update

Our home study is done, waiting for our fingerprints and have completed 10 hours of training. The only thing left to do is wait fr Zs documents and start raising funds. It has been amazing to be a part of such a wonderful experience. People are coming out of the woodwork to help us and we completely appreciate it! We feel so blessed for every last prayer, penny and piece of advice people give us regarding this adoption.

No news is???

We are still waiting on the adoption agency to send up documents on Z. There are elections going on in Ethiopia near where she is so there is no internet, telephone or in some cases power in that area. For us that means that we are at a standstill and it is kind of a strange place to be in. There is NOTHING that we can do to speed up the process. All we can do it sit back relax (ha) and pray. The good thing about this wait, is that it gives us a chance to raise more much needed funds. The double travel to Ethiopia has added a huge expense to this trip. The good news is that we finished our homestudy!! Woot woot.
I had a wonderful mothers day and hope that you all did too!

Off and running

We have jumped in with both feet and are on our way with our next adoption adventure. I cannot believe that this is really happening! Sometimes it is just so surreal. Are we really adding another child to our family? We have the official approval from both agencies and our home study (update) is scheduled for this Wednesday. Yikes!! I better get to cleaning!

Remember to breathe

Sometimes the whole process of adoption can be very overwhelming. With domestic adoption it was kind of nice waiting for a baby to be born and never knowing when. Ok, who I am I kidding? It was stressful and nerve wrecking but in the end we got Jack, a perfect newborn. Financially it didn't kill us. This international adoption is killing us. It is official that starting next month you know have to travel twice to Ethiopia for adoptions. This really did add thousands of dollars to our expenses. Honestly, there is NO WAY that we can afford all of this. What are we thinking?? I am kind of starting to panic. Where the heck are we going to get this money? If anyone has any ideas for fundraisers please let me know. Right now, I see everything in $ symbols. We are saving every last penny!! This will all work out right?

dang cat!

Who know that a cat bite could cause sepsis within 24 hours? In 15 years of working with animals this has never happened to me. Yesterday, I was helping spay and neuter feral cats and on the 47th cat, I got nailed. I immediately started antibiotics and cleaned the area really well. Even though the area was swollen, I had no idea of what was about to become. Even after 3 doses of antibiotics at home I have landed myself in the hospital for the weekend. So far they have pumped 5 bags on antibiotics, many pain pills and injections into my stomach and I still feel like crapo. I cannot sleep because I keep turning in the light to see if the infection is going down as I want to get home so bad! There is so much going on the weekend. 2 birthday parties, a cool zoo event and best of all a whole weekend off of work. I was really looking forward to spending the weekend with my family and friends. Please pray for me as I struggle with this infection, so far it has taken over my body and it attacking some of my internal organs.
Nighty night bloggerville, I need to try and rest up.

IT IS ON!

Wowza! It sure has been a roller coaster ride of emotions. As it stands the Summer Of Hope program will NOT be bringing kiddos from Ethiopia this year. We were heartbroken when we heard the news and did not know what to do next. We really felt in our heart that this was the child for us.
After much searching, praying, talking, an international adoption agency has agreed to let us adopt her!! The whole thing is really backwards, as far as traditional adoption goes, but we and the agency are going to make it work for us. Wahoo!! The agency that we are using has gotten some bad press lately but I will say they have been GREAT with our family. So as it stands we will hopefully be adding a 7ish year old beautiful Ethiopian girl to our family very soon!!

On again, off again, on again, maybe

One of the many parts of adoption is being flexible, and this is exactly what we are trying to do.
We recently found out that the visas that are being issued to the children in Ethiopia are taking a very long time and may not be issued in time for the children to be able to come in July. 2 days ago, I thought that there was no may the kiddos were going to be able to come but last night I found out that things are looking better. I wish that I could post a picture of the sweet faces who are waiting for forever homes but I cannot. Please pray, send good thoughts, anything, our way. We are desperate.