What would you do?

I feel like I have completely forgotten what it is I should be doing about now. It has been so long since I actually thought we might get a referral that I feel like I have blocked out all info pertaining to it. We haven't really discussed baby names in months or looked at the adoptlanguage book & cd.

Besides sleeping what the hell am I supposed to be doing? Do you really think this time 3 more months might actually mean 3 more months (or less)?

What vaccinations should we get? We hope to travel to Lalibela and Gonder-does that make a difference? I mean seriously you would think I had not been stalking blogs and forums for nearly two years.

What a day

I'm home nursing a lacerated cornea. One might wonder 'how the hell do you lacerate your cornea?'. Good question. I was rocking one of my beloved babies to sleep at work. I was actually thinking how I adore this boy who is often quite the stinker. I kiss his little forehead and think about increasing our age range (he is 20 mnths). He was being funny and threw himself back and as he did so he raked his nail across my eyeball!!! Seriously. I have a severe abrasion according to the dr. It hurts like hell. Today is a little better. . This is actually not the first time this has happened to me. A few years ago I lacerated my cornea while in woodshop for a sculpture class. My mask snapped and hit me in the eye. My poor hubby has had to come home every few hours from work to make sure I have eaten and taken my meds (eyedrops). I am starting to get my sight back.

Its a good thing too because The Grandey's passed court!!! I finally got to see a picture of their little boy. Wow is he beaitiful. I am hoping for more good news any day now from The Buster's.

You know how everyone says you get your referral when you least expect it. What if I got mine when I wasn't able to see 'her' sweet face??? that's pushing it because I still expect it to be a while before the call. And I better have most of my sight back tomorrow. But wouldn't that be my luck.

The highs and the lows

The last two weeks or so have been awesome. It seems everyone we have spoken to has received some sort of good news. This along with a large batch of referrals for CHSFS put me in the best mood I have been in for months.

As expected it was bound to wear down. There were no referrals last week. I couldn't help but think 'here we go again'.

So I will cling to the news that I hope comes this week: a successful court date for the Grandey's, a referral call for The Busters, and hopefully a little movement on our list.

One Trip or Two

What is going on? I've seen several people posting that Ethiopia is now a one trip country again/still. I really wish I had some certainty about something on this adoption roller coaster.

I was actually getting excited about two trips. And if it's more ethical why change it back???

BUT YAY for the the adoption tax credit.

PEAR: Gelgela Orphange

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Ethiopia: Gelgela Orphange

This past weekend, PEAR was forwarded a letter from the US Embassy in Addis to US Adoption Service Providers. We understand that some, but not all agencies have informed their clients of the letter and new USE scrutiny of cases involving the Gelgela Orphanage. We believe it is important for adopting and adoptive families to have this information so we have chosen to reprint the letter here:

Dear adoption agencies,

Recently, the U.S. Embassy has implemented several changes to the adoption visa process, including conducting significant additional review of each case and field investigations. In light of our findings, and recent serious allegations and news reports involving Ethiopian adoptions, we will require additional time to process each case from any agency in which the child was processed through Gelgela orphanage.

Effective immediately, the Embassy will require 8 weeks' processing time for each adoption visa case in which the child was processed through Gelgela orphanage. This means that families will not receive an immigrant visa appointment until 8 weeks after the complete case file is submitted to the Embassy. We will not accept incomplete case files in these cases under any circumstances. It is the agency's responsibility to plan family travel accordingly. Cases that have already been submitted will continue to be processed as previously scheduled.

For cases already scheduled (for which the Embassy already has the case file), those parents should expect potentially lengthy delays in the processing of cases involving children from Gelgela orphanage.

Sincerely,

Adoption Unit
U.S. Embassy
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

PEAR put a call out to various organizations and individuals requesting a list of agencies that refer children from Gelgela. The European NGO, ACT (Against Child Trafficking - http://againstchildtrafficking.org/), provided us with the following list which they compiled from public records:

United States:

Bethany (and FTIA under a partner program)
Christian World Adoption
America World Adoption

The Countdown Begins

TOP TEN!!!

I never thought we would actually get to this point. We made the TOP TEN of The Unofficial List today.

I ran around the house like a lunatic looking for my blue highlighter to mark the families name off of The List. I do not recommend this if you have hard wood floors and are wearing socks. I fell on my butt! It was pretty funny I have to say.

Random bits of good news

CHSFS has changed their policy and now allows adoptive families to audio record the birth parent meeting. This makes me happy. I really hated that policy.

Our Madam listkeeper also received her referral. She had just increased her age range and will be the momma to a beautiful boy who is now 19 months old. We also found out earlier this week that our friends who have been trying for years to get pregnant did. They are expecting a little girl in August. It never ceases to amaze me how so many people I know have such a long path to parenthood.

Paige and I also looked at the space for the Dead of Winter Ball. This will benefit Ethiopian Orphan Relief (EOR). Save the date: March 5, 2011

Just keep Swimming

And so we now sit at #11 on The Unofficial List.

I keep hearing the song from Nemo: just keep swimming.

Happiness Ensues Afterall

I was able to mark two names of the list in the last two days. I believe I will be able to mark a couple more names off in the next few days. Thoughts of breaking into the top ten are a little unbelievable. I know top ten is still quite aways from referral but how I have longed to be in the top ten. Those on the forum post Top Ten Waiters topics regularly-In hopes that some in that elite group will travel together.

So I have been running around the house like a lunatic (a pretty happy lunatic). I have asked Joel if he wants to see a pie chart-trying to figure out if we'll have a boy or girl. He assures me he doesn't but I think he's fibbing so I'll probably make him one anyway. It will lead to the same conclusion my charts have had for months-no idea.

My big debate at the moment is my tattoo. I have been planning to get one for about a year. I thought a permanent mark of something ethiopian (esque) would be appropriate.

My tattoo ideas: (let me know what you think)

Foot: Ethiopia -maybe with meskel daisies

Wrist, Shoulder, or back?: (In Amharic text): Ethiopia OR One Love OR Mother

Those are the top contenders anyway. I've been warned that the foot is probably the most painful place to get a tattoo. But even that seems appropriate. More then likely I will wait and have it done when THE CALL comes.

Now that I think of it that might be a fun girls night for The Tribe. We can all get tattoo'd. hhhmmmm?

Numb

At least one referral came in this week so I was able to mark another name off The List. Usually a little dancing and singing ensues when this happens. Not so much today. After a year and a half of waiting it is hard to get too excited.

Another deadline will pass next week. My youngest nephew will turn 3. I cried last year getting ready for his party and was certain that we would have our baby (or at least a referral) by the time he had his next birthday. I HATE setting these deadlines in my head but it is so hard not to. My next referral deadline is our vacation in June but even that seems like a long shot at this point.

So now I will hope that E&D get their call soon. Next to getting the call ourselves I can't think of anything that would make me happier.

IF

If someone from my agency called me right now and said my child's birth parent(s) wanted to meet me or that I could come see my child for a few hours I would be on the first plane to Ethiopia.

In a matter of speaking I think that is what has just happened. IF there is a chance we will get to meet our childs family in court. Maybe we would have met them anyway but...

IF we get to meet our baby and hold them if only for a short time it will be worth the extra money for tickets. The plane ride coming home without our child will make the one coming home with them seem easy.

IF there is any possibility that we can stay in Ethiopia for a few weeks then we will.

IF IF IF my phone ever rings and I hear those glorious words "It's a ________ (boy or girl maybe even twins)!" Then I will be the luckiest person ever.

TWO TRIPS

Apparently Ethiopia is now a 2 trip country!!!!

The Wait

Months tomorrow.

No news is still news?

I was told I needed to update my blog. I feel like there isn't a whole lot to say. I am tired of hearing myself whine and would assume you are tired of it as well.

Part of me feels like saying 'screw this' and moving on, but I know I wouldn't be happy if I did. I am now that person that others worry about when they have good news. That sucks! We hit 18 months on Wednesday and we are still months from referral.

Lots of people tell us God has a plan. I just wish I had a clue what it is.

Eternal Sunshine

Lately I have been thinking about the movie Eternal Sunshine. I would like to block the part of my brain that thinks about the adoption. Just for one month. I would love to not think about the forum, referrals and The List.

I would really like to not think about what we do if/when this never happens.