It's been a year

...since we started adoption proceedings.

We thought about China (didn't qualify) then thought Mongolia would be awesome (they were closed). Then last March we settled on going to Russia. We weren't thrilled about going to Russia. We knew we would learn to love the idea and we would love Russia because that is where are baby was born. I know many people will think I am awful for saying this but it is true.

Obviously it did not work out. A few weeks after applying to our first agency we got a call. I knew it was bad news when someone called at 9p.m. They wanted to discuss our net worth (or lack of). We were asked if our parents would fund the adoption. Ummm... no. They would help but we wouldn't ask them to fund it-even if they could.

I was crushed and then furious. We were honest and told them upfront that we didn't have much net worth. I cried all night and into the next day. I really don't think I have cried that much since my grandmother died 15 years ago. It really felt like all hope was gone. The agency said we could wait until Guatemala opened back up-probably in the fall. (as far as I know Guatemala is still closed).

A few days later I/we began looking into other agencies. The first one had broken my heart and I was not going to let them do it again. When we saw that Ethiopia was a possibility we were thrilled. We spoke with Paige online and she invited us to meet her family. We knew we had the right place this time. We applied to CHSFS in mid May.

From Melissa Fay Greene's blog

Dear Friends,

By now you may have learned the shocking news that Mrs.
Haregewoin Teferra has died suddenly after a short
illness. We don't know what caused her death; she felt
sick for a couple of days, went to the doctor,
came home without a diagnosis,
felt sick again, laid down, and that was the end.

We are grieving, yet we have no time to spare: 59 children
survive her, many of them toddlers and babies,
the majority HIV-positive.

Worldwide Orphans--the New York-based organization
that has provided pediatric care to Haregewoin's
children for many years--has stepped into the breach.
They have assumed full custody of the 42 HIV-positive
kids and are prepared to take responsibility for
the 17 HIV-negative children, as needed, most of them babies
and toddlers. Those small children are still at
Haregewoin's foster home; their caregivers have
stayed on; and the Atetegeb board has taken charge of their
well-being for the present.

These heroic measures come at high cost:  it is
estimated to require about $4,600 per child to cover food,
healthcare and medicine, education, clothing, and
caregivers. Once the children's basic needs are secure,
their paperwork will be sorted out: some may be eligible
for adoption, others may have extended families in a
position to take them in; others may find new placements.
No one knows, at this moment, whether Haregewoin had
made financial plans for the children in the event
of her death.  All that can be sorted out in the future.
The crisis is NOW: keeping the children fed and clothed,
paying the salaries of loving caregivers to act as
stand-ins for their late parents and long-devoted
foster mother, and making sure there is no lag-time
in their life-saving medical treatment.

At Little Atetegeb, for positive children

Haregewoin lived with these children seven days a week,
24 hours a day,for ten years.  She is irreplaceable.
The youngest children, of course,have no idea what has
just happened. Please let us work together to act
as foster parents in absentia for them and to
provide financial sustenance to the adults on the
ground in Addis during this transitional time.

Thank you in advance for any amount you can give.

Online contributions can be made at  
https://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2669/shop/custom.jsp?donate_page_KEY=2749



     Checks may be sent to:
WWO
511 Valley Street
Maplewood, New Jersey 07040

Sincerely,
Melissa 

Sad News: Haregewoin Teferra

I just saw on the CHSFS forum that Haregewoin died today.

http://www.thereisnomewithoutyou.com/blog?op=view&id=64

Wait times

I am trying to stay positive but I just don't think I can at the moment. I just got a newsletter from CHSFS stating that anyone who submitted their dossier after July 1, 08 may be waiting 14-16 months for a referral. Yep you guessed it we submitted our dossier in September. At this rate it could be more then a year before we travel to ET. Originally we expected to travel this spring or summer. Then we thought hopefully by Christmas. Now I don't know what to think.

Number 67, calling number 67

Ok, no one is calling us YET!. But since I started following the unofficial official waitlist we have bumped up 20 spots (since January). Tomorrow marks our 6 month wait. Can you believe it-6 months? So if you think about it we should have our baby home in >>> 9 months. Hope, pray, think happy thoughts about us moving up the list.

I guess it's good that we are not getting the call right now (in some ways). I have to see an ENT in a few weeks for my 8 month long sinus infection. Seriously who gets a sinus infection for 8 months-oh yeah me! More then likely I'll get surgery. I am actually kind of excited. If I can get it taken care of now it will be one less thing to worry about when traveling or caring for our peanut.

Adoption Tax Credit

I just read on another blog that the adoption tax credit may be in jeopardy! You can click on the link on the side of the blog to get info on it and contact the senate and congress.

I don't know why the link only shows up 1/2 way but it still works. I'll figure that out later. (sorry I am a crappy blogger)