Kenya

In my last post, I said I'd spice this one up with some pictures from the next step on my adoption journey. Well, come to find out, I can't find my scrapbook from Kenya. But that's cool. I guess I'll have to go again and snap a few more pictures. I'm sure I'll spend all weekend looking for that book, now. I'll let that go for now. You'll have to use your imagination, I guess.

Sooooooooo. . . Back in 2002, I went to Kenya with 16 friends, on a mission trip. The trip initially was was designed so that the first week we would work on some building projects for Daystar University and then the second week, we would climb Mt. Kenya. Only 10 people were originally going to be able to go, because that is how many you could have in a guided trip up the mountain. Well, 16 people signed up, but only 10 could still hike. I specifically remember thinking how unfair it would be if I wasn't able to hike the mountain, because I had gotten my application in early. As luck would have it, I was playing indoor soccer at the time, and I got some bone chips and then broke my toe, right around the time that we had to decide if we wanted to climb the mnt. or stay back in Nairobi. I had to choose to stay back, because I didn't know if my ankle and toe would be able healed completely by then. Coincidence or power of God? as my friend friend Mari used say.

The six of us that stayed back in Nairobi worked at a Mother Teresa home for disabled women and children. Another day we went to a different Mother Teresa home where there were about 16 babies laying on a giant bed. The one that I held was beautiful little Beatrice. She had two thumbs on one of her hands, which is most likely why her parents dropped her off at the Mother Teresa home. Many of them had physical problems that could easily be dealt with if they were in the US. Anyway, that little Beatrice was a little heart stealer. I wonder where she is now??? After holding her, I again, just knew that some day, I would adopt.

As a little side note, it turned out that our hostel was only 15 minutes away from the Compassion child that I had sponsored for 5 years at that time. I got to meet her and her mom and brother. I would love to post pictures of that, too, but they were in the same scrapbook that is MIA. But that's cool.

There ya have it - the next defining moment in my adoption story. Now, we are just hoping that the list starts moving a little. It's officially been the longest we have gone without seeing any movement on the lists, since we got on it. However, we are encouraged, because our agency recently joined up with 2 other orphanages and there was mention, that there are already kids assigned with completed paperwork. I'm hoping that means that there will be some referrals coming down the pike (or is it pipe?) Anywho . . . I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!!!!!

It began at 14

It's been over a week, since the last referral, so I'm hitting the "bummin' zone. Of course, last Friday when my kids were CA-RA-ZY, I was thinking that I really am not in any huge hurry to add three to the mix. When the numbers stop moving, though, I get a little sad. So, while we wait for more referrals, I'll tell a little more of the start of our adoption story.

I think I was about 14 years old when the stories about the Romanian babies were hitting the news. The babies were pretty much just left in their cribs all day long to take care of themselves. I remember asking my mom if she would adopt one of them and I'm pretty sure she thought I was kidding. At that time, I was pretty sure that I would adopt when I grew up. So, there we have it. The very first step that has brought us to this point. There are about 2 more steps along the way, but I'll save them for other days where nothing is happening. I'll try to spice up the next post a little with some pictures of step number 2 toward adoption, so please come back. Until then, have a great day.

Hi neighbors!

I had two comments on previous posts from people that are right around me on the waitlist. How fun! It just brightened my day a little. There was no more list movement this week - just a couple of fake outs (new postings from the agency, but they weren't referrals). So, neighbors, thanks for saying hi and we just might be taking a little jaunt over to Ethiopia someday, together. Hopefully, sooner, rather than later, huh? Maybe I'll see some of you at the training tomorrow. I'll leave you all with a picture of our dog Charlie after finding a feather boa lying around.

That was fast!

A little more movement!

Inching

We're inching closer, folks! Just when I thought a whole Monday through Friday was going to pass without a single referral, things changed! On Friday afternoon, a family accepted a referral for siblings and so we got to move up on both of our lists. At this point we are still just on the infant boy and infant girl list. Surprisingly enough, Dave is all for jumping on the sibling list, too. However, as ungraceful as I am with only 2 kids, I'm not sure that it would be a wise choice. I mean, I feel like it has only been recently that I have managed to get at least 3 decent food groups on their dinner plates. Come to think of it, that has only been since Dave has started doing more of the cooking. See what I mean? Anyway, I'm not worried about it. I'm still just excited to be on our current lists and done with the brunt of the paperwork.

Be cool, Be cool!

"Be cool, be cool" That is what I am trying to tell myself. Once in awhile I get a little uptight about the growing wait in front of us and I have to just take a breath and be cool. When I talked to our agency this week, I was asking when I should start this next round of paperwork and she said that we would most likely not get a referral for at least a year, so we should hold off for awhile. In my mind, I'm thinking that it could easily be a couple years until we get a child. All that being said, it is totally fine if it takes two or even three years. Practically and financially speaking, it would be great. If it looks like the process will continue to slow down, then we may even put our names on the sibling list. This is where I have to remind myself that God has been soooo present this far and he will continue to direct our steps until the time we meet our child or children! Right now, I am super excited to be the parent of two awesome kids. Yesterday was her 2nd birthday, so I'll sign off now with a couple of photos of our crazy TWO YEAR OLD whose favorite present was her new "bag" (purse).
tep

Halloween

'm sure that Halloween is just as much fun now as it was when I was little. Hearing Spencer's super loud and drawn out "Trick or Treeeeeaaaaat," was funny every single time and the way that Leah just stood there and waited for more candy at each door, was a little embarrassing. Now the question is, what do we do with this years costume? I spend quite a bit of time trying to guess what age and gender our child will be, but who knows? Here is my guess. I think we'll get a little boy about 14 months old. However, I can't seem to get rid of things, just based on a guess. We may end up with 2? Maybe a girl? You just never know exactly what turns everything will take. Until then, I'll just keep filling boxes with more outgrown clothes and wait until we know for sure.