Just catching our breathe

Just catching our breathe vs. just taking our breathe away!  Our trip to Ethiopia was amazing.  We met the most special people.  All of the employees at the guest house, David our driver (very experienced) Job, Jonas, and so many others I can't even single them out. Thank you all!
We arrived in ET on Monday morning, were picked up at the airport and shuffled to meet the other families.  Then off to the transition home to meet our boys.  Fekadu, our oldest, really liked the fact that daddy would play with him, soccer to boot.  Chuck will have to learn the rules but they had a great time together.  Abenet, just wanted to be held.  We swang and went down the slide and he spent just a lot of time looking at my face.  It was incredibly difficult to leave and go back to the guest house but I knew we would see them the next day.
The second day we delivered our care packages, took pictures and delivered our donations.  While we were delivering care packages, the nannies were keeping all the kids in the back of the transition home.  When I looked up here was Abenet and Fekadu peaking around the bush to see if we were there.  When they "spied" us their smiles were just huge!  had to take a break and go kiss and hug on them.  We also met with the teacher, Dr. and psychologist and got some good information.
The third day, Abenet just seemed like he was exhausted.  As exciting as everything was for us, imagine a three year old and the stimulus his little brain had.  He fell asleep in my lap but he wasn't letting go of his photo album and water bottle.  Both highly prized posessions of his.  Their teacher, approached us and asked about a "black dog".  Fekadu was telling everyone he had a black dog!  Then we were able to show her pictures of Miss Pug and sure enough, he has a black dog.  Abenet was very interested in the kitties! so I think we have a couple of animal lovers that will fit right in.
The fourth day was difficult.  We had court and it was very emotional.  Not all the families passed court.  Peter and Christine Coffaro and we passed court.  The others are waiting for "a letter" to be issued and then they will pass as well.  At least there was no need for a deeper investigation.  Fekadu met with his birth father for the final time.  The psychologist was present and we discussed his emotions.  Abenet, ran from his father and would not allow a picture to be taken with him.  I can only imagine the heart break of his father.  The boys mother passed away a year ago November.
The fifth day, was our final day to spend with them as we left Addis late on Friday night.  The psychologist had already prepared the boys for our final visit and their demeanor had clearly changed.  They were almost clingy which made leaving even that much harder. Neither of the boys wanted any of the other children around us and actually went out of the way to isolate us from the other children.   Jonas and Job were quick to assure them we were coming back and we were able to leave a "talking" story book for each of them.  They will be able to hear our voices every day until we return and then they can see our faces as they are listening to our voices when we arrive back in Addis.
So, we left Ethiopia with memories of our two absolutely precious boys, three suitcases, (we took four), an injera basket (Thank you David) three carry ons and one upper respiratory infection.  We landed in San Francisco with an added food poisoning, (didn't hit until we got to the hotel, Praise God) and all of the above.  

Headed home this morning to share our magical news with friends and family.

Perspective

We met our sons this week.  The changes in their smiles and acceptance changed every day.  It was an amazing amazing incredible week.  The boys were nothing less than terrific, right down to the two year old temper tantrum.  We also had the pleasure of meeting the birth father.  His story of just survival is heart rendering.  We learned things about the boys we would never had been able to tell them if we hadn't been on this journey.  The tears, the smiles and the laughter of this week have given us an entirely new perspective on life.  It doesn't matter that we don't have the Christmas tree up or the house decorated or the gift shopping done.  Somehow, the every day events of "keeping up with the Joneses" is no longer important.  Our priorities have changed and God has given us clear direction for those priorities.

Addis here we come

Well, we departed Boise this morning at 6:00 a.m. to have breakfast with our dear friends and family.  What a great send off.  Tonight we are in San Francisco waiting to board our flight tomorrow which will take us to our boys.  We have talked about them for two days.  Praying about them for two days.  It is all in God's hands now.  I guess it always has been.  So, in 48 hours we will meet our sons and our lives will forever be changed.

We are off to Ethiopia

I think there is a song, Oh, our bags are packed we're ready to go, I'm standing here outside your door."  We are packed, one bag weights in at 52 pounds, it can only be 50 lbs. three are at 42, 45 and 40 respectively but no budge room.  Not sure what we are going to do but we will manage.  Both carry-ons are over 15 lbs but I think I can wiggle mine and put something in my "purse" to distribute it a little differently.  We are doing everything we can not to have to pay extra baggage fees.

I usually have the house decorated, tree up, lights on, stockings hung by the chimney with care.  This year, no tree, no stockings, no lights.  Just no time!! Next year the best year ever.

We are so excited to see our boys.  We pray they are excited to meet their new mom and dad.  Pray for a safe trip for all the families traveling now and for our children to stay healthy and be safe.

May the traveling angels have mercy on us.

Eight days to Ethiopia

We leave for Ethiopia and our boys in eight days.  This morning I decided to cancel my lecture and continue to prepare for the trip.  I will be packing, unpacking and repacking.  I have checked our travel documents and will check and recheck probably at least 12 more times before we leave.  I just get a tingling in my scalp when I think about the momentous trip coming up.  We received an update on our sons yesterday with pictures.  I can not even begin to describe the emotions I feel when I read the updates and stare constantly at their pictures.

In their pics they are wearing shorts, we have 12 inches of snow here so I don't think that is going to work! I'm thinking Miss Pug, our cocker spaniel, will have competition for the front of the fireplace!

Please continue to pray for the families and the kids.  Please pray specifically for their safety, continued court appts. and embassy appts.

19 days and it's going fast!

This week is Thanksgiving.  This will be the last Thanksgiving we will not have children at our table.  There are so many lasts in our lives and yet the "firsts" that are about to come are so welcome.  We leave in 19 days to meet our children in Ethiopia.  We have watched the videos that friends have sent, we have starred at pictures and blown them up and framed them.  We are preparing their bedroom and the house and yet we turn to God daily to help prepare us and to ask for his help in preparing them.  During this time of year we have so very much to be Thankful for.  May you and your family have a very Happy Thanksgiving and may you remember your blessings as well.

The Reality Is!

We traveled to Portland this last weekend.  Me to work and Chuck to visit some friends he hasn't seen for quite a while.  We realized this would be our last weekend to travel without children.  We tried to imagine what it would be like to pack a 3 & 6 year old into a car for an 8 hour trip.  The funny part is we have "no clue".  The really laughable part is we are thoroughly looking forward to it.  We saw a little girl with no front teeth and realized again we will have that same chapter in our lives times 2.  We both instantly thought of the Christmas song all I want for Christmas is my two front teeth and wondered if we could sing it in Amharic?  The dentist appts. the ER visits, the soccer games, the school meetings all of the things we should have done when we were in our 20's & 30's.  We were chosen to do these in our 50's, albeit early 50's. Our God does have a sense of humor!.  We know our God has chosen us for this very special time.  We are his warriors and this is a new journey which we look especially forward to with great humor and Love.

41 days

Today I was feeling sorry for myself.  We haven't met our boys, two other families have and they waited even longer than we have to meet their own children.  I was wishing I weren't self employed, I was wishing I could walk into my employers office and say I need a month off to spend with our boys.  Then the Lord spoke to me and reminded me of all the blessings he has showered upon me.  I am truly thankful for those blessings and was feeling much better about being self employed and teaching at a University level. Somehow, I was reminded of the really important things and not the trivial things and the day was a great start to another weekend.
41 days and counting

43 days

Yep, 43 days and counting down daily.  Chuck as pulled the reins in just a little with my spending, shoppng, as we found some bags of donations I forgot we had.  I think he thinks I'm not a "collector" but starting to become a "hoarder".  LOL  I Thank God daily that we have been blessed enough to provide so much.  Yesterday after I heard from the Laughner's I cried.  I cried for two children who have lost so much, I cried for their father, and brothers and sisters and I began to doubt my ability to be a good mom.  My most precious friend reminded me the only thing needed to be a good mom was to be able to "Love".  I was reminded immediately of God's Love for us, and for the orphans.  Somehow the day got better and I am now just anxiously awaiting more pictures.  Chuck is my steadfast.  He wakes up every morning and says "I can't believe we are going to be parents".  We see our boys toddling through the house, Chasing the dogs and cats and each other.  Somehow, becoming a mom isn't so hard to visualize and the complete and total change in our lives is welcome.
Yep, 43 and counting and so excited for December 10, 2009 when we leave and begin the real journey to our sons.

Day 43 and Counting

Today is day 43 and we are counting down.  So much to do so little time and we can't wait to meet our boys!
Stay tune for any updates.

December 16th, 2010

Somehow today when I awoke it was different.  It was the same time as I usually rise, same routine, feed the dogs, feed the cats, fix coffee, turn on the news.  A voice told me to keep my cell phone close, so as I went in with my first patient I set it on the stand by my computer.  At 10:00 a.m. it rang and it was a (703) area code.  The same area code our International Adoption Agency would be calling from.  Yes, it was from Kristen and we have a court date.  It is December 16th.  We will meet our boys on the 14th and I hope we will be able to see them the 15th and the 16th as well.  I spent the lunch time checking airfares, they have gone up just a little from November fares.  The question is do we want to leave from San Francisco or Washington DC.?  What kind of weather are we going to have?  All these details, yikes!!!  Exciting, frightening and oh, sooooo exciting!! did I say that already.  Boys, here we come!  We can't wait to wrap our arms around you!

Despite the fact that today is a very happy day for us there are still many families who have received and accepted their referrals but have not gotten court dates yet.  We ask for your continued prayers for those families that they may soon be united with their children as well.

New Mom and Dad

So, the last two mornings we woke up as "mom" and "dad".  This morning as I am overseeing my class taking an Anatomy & Physiology exam I am humbled by the gift my sons mom and dad have given us.  My sons were born of another mother and another father  in another country probably without medical care.  They have seen things and been a part of things no child should have to experience.  Somehow in the middle of their losses our Lord lifted them up and said to us "take my precious children". 

My prayer is that we be the parents Our Lord wants us to be.  I know when we continue to follow in his light we will always be protected and Loved, and that includes our sons. 

We will be patient until we can meet you and wrap our loving arms around you.  Please do not fear for we are here, and we are on our way soon.

We have our sons

Yesterday was a roller coaster day for us.  We received a phone call from Caitlyn and she wanted to know if we would consider adopting two unrelated children.  We had discussed this but really hadn't come to a final conclusion.  So we sent it to our amzing and wise Yahoo Group of friends and to our facebook friends.  This morning I woke up at 3 (not by choice) and could not go back to sleep.  Around 10 I started to think about completing the application our International Agency requires to non-related adoptions.  I just couldn't get it started and the Lord had not given me a clear direction as of then.  At 11:56 a.m. exactly my phone rang and it was Caitlyn.  America World has two brothers who have been in the transitional home since June.  They are 3 & 6.  Since I am not sure what I can share and can't share, I will tell you we evaluated their medical records, social and health history and said "Yes" these are our sons.  So today, 13 days following our dossier to Ethiopia, we are now a complete family.  Barring any complications we could have our sons home by Christmas.  What an amazing Christmas blessing!!!!!

Our Dossier is in Ethiopia

Our dossier made it to Ethiopia on Sept. 4, 2010.  We tracked it through Paris and Dubai and finally to it's destination at Addis.  There are so many things going through our heads.  Will the house be ready, (remodeling is a nightmare sometimes).  We are prepared, but are we really?  Only the Lord knows about our preparedness. My sister, brother-in-law, two nephews, and great niece and nephew were here for a visit.  It's amazing how quickly they grow up.  They are as excited as we are to have our children home, safe and sound.  So, the wait continues.  We are patient, (sometimes) and we continue to pray for not only our children but all the orphans of the world.

Waiting patiently

Our dossier got to Virginia to America World Adoption.  Our case worker Caitlin e-mailed and said all was well and it would be on it's way to Ethiopia.  Then the panic set in.  The house wasn't painted, the new floor coverings were not in and we are nowhere near being ready to purchase a bedroom set for our kids.  Then the calm set in because I realized it is in God's hands.  This journey has always been His intended journey for us.  We patiently wait for word that our children are ready to come home, come home to the place they were intended to be safe and Loved forever.  That in itself was enough to continue the calm in the midst of the storm.

We are tracking Fed Ex to Virginia

Our Lord is Great!!!  I was able to pick up the final piece of paper last night after work.  Got home, copied and put in our dossier material, checked and rechecked and then rechecked the recheck.  (Did you get that?) to make sure all was well and in it's place.  This morning was a crazy morning, I had inservice for my teaching job and Chuck had reports to finish before his days off.  I prayed I would be able to make it into the Fed Ex drop box before they picked up this afternoon.  My prayers were answered, I arrived about an hour prior to their pick up.  So, according to our tracking our dossier will be in Virginia at America World on Thursday.  Then off to Ethiopia and the true waiting begins.  What a great week and it's not even half way over!!!!

Yippee we are there!!!!!

Today I decided to get the mail from yesterday.  It really wasn't a big hurry.  Our I-171H wasn't due for another week and I am still waiting on a form from our local adoption agency.  So, I sauntered out, picked up the Sunday paper and crossed the street to the mailbox.  At the bottom of the short stack was a very official looking envelope from USCIS.  Our I-171H had arrived!!!!  I am ready to have it notarized and send it off tomorrow morning.  However, I still need that single form from our local agency.  The Lord is great!!!! I will be able to go to the local agency and get it signed and notarized tomorrow and still make the Fed Ex to America World.  We are so excited words can't even begin to describe it.  Keep us all in your prayers.

Waiting and waiting and waiting

After watching all the news of the I-171H forms coming through and knowing we were 4 weeks since our biometrics appointment I couldn't take it anymore!!!  I phoned the National Benefits center and found out our application was approved on August 6th.  There is a review period of approximately two weeks and then our I171-H will be issued.  With any blessings we will be DTE (Dossier to Ethiopia) by the end of August.  The excitement continues to flow.  We have been at a stand still on the house renovations since the garden has been blessing us so abundantly.  We will have to move that up so we can really start to get ready.  The paperwork chase is almost over.  I have already taken my copies, placed everything in order and am waiting patiently for that last "oh so very important" piece of paper.  Kids here we come.  May God continue to protect you and all the other orphans and hold you in his hands.

USCIS

Well, the day started like most others, Chuck got ready to go to work and I went to USCIS for my biometrics appointment.  What I didn't know is Chuck could have come in sooner, we both could have gone in days ago.  Amazing how the "technicalities" get missed.  However, we know God has a plan and who are we to question it?  I was on my way to the office and Chuck calls me, he is about 45 minutes from the USCIS office and his appointment is in 25 minutes.  Worse yet, the new subaru he purchased last summer is DOR, (dead on the road).  I hurried and left the office so I could give him my vehicle and wait for the tow truck.  Sadly, the Road Assistance company charged us for the tow, despite the fact the vehicle is under warranty, (towing included), we have AAA and insurance for towing.  But when you are on your way to USCIS you don't argue, you just hope they will let you get fingerprinted even if you are late.  Chuck arrived at the USCIS center 30 minutes late, they took him with no questions asked.  He arrived at the dealership about 5 minutes after I got there with the tow truck driver and car.   While we were at lunch the dealership phoned to say there was a component in the transmission which malfunctioned and if he had driven it any further he would have burned up the transmission and the engine.  Think of all that with only 14,000 miles.  However, the day was not a waste.  We both got our biometrics completed and we both arrived home safely, despite the enemies attempts to prevent both from happening. We now just wait for our I171 H form and then we are off to Ethiopia.  Keep our children and us in your prayers.  The lord has chosen them and the day when we will meet.  We continue to be patient and pray.  Blessings to you all

The excitement builds

We got our homestudy and request off to USCIS.  They converted the check to electronic funds last Thursday and today we received our date for our biometrics.  It is still two weeks out but I can hardly wait.  After reading Debb Marquez's story on their biometrics, I was starting to get a little worried, but I'm now wondering if this isn't the Lord's way of making it so we might travel together to pick up our kids.  We will find out.  I still am patient with paperwork, we did have a snaggle with our homestudy matching some of the documents in our dossier.  I think we got that figured out today and new paperwork is coming.  After that everything is ready for the go ahead from our government.  Please continue to pray for us all and especially for the children.  I found out today that some of the children who are waiting on families are ill.  Please pray for protection over them and quick healing so they can grow strong and healthy with their new families. 
Bless you all.

We are on our way,

After what seems forever, we received the final homestudy to send to USCIS.  That will go in the mail on Monday.  Hopefully, it won't take long to get our I 171-H form to return.  The anticipated wait is 4 to 6 weeks.  We know that God has already chosen our children and trust it is in his time.  We carry on.  We have started to process of looking for bedroom furniture, Aunt Maureen has been garage saling and has found some true treasure.  Her son Tyler has turned over several treasure from his childhood to share with the boys and we would Love to start purchasing clothes.  Unfortunately, we don't know what size!!!  We are being patient, (as patient as one can be).  The house is getting painted on the inside and new floor coverings are going down the end of this month.  It truly will be ready for two boys!!! as will we.  Please continue to keep our children, as well as all the children and us in your prayers.
Chuck & Shannon

We carry on!

We have finished all our visits with our social worker. They went amazingly well and were incredibly insightful. We have about 80% of our paperwork for the international agency completed and on Tuesday will meet with the notary to complete the balance. Then on to the USCIS paperwork and the waiting begins. Hopefully, not long but it is all in the Lords time. All is going smoothly. We are in the process of remodling new floor coverings and painting before the boys arrive. We both suspect it won't be happening when they arrive. Continue to keep us and our children in your prayers as we continue on our journey.
God Bless you All

Moving forward

Today was a great day. We met with our Social Worker and got started on the paperwork pregnancy. WOW! for those who have been down this road you already know. We continue to pray and read. We did find out the Ethiopian government essentially shuts down during the rainy season so we will have a couple of months to work really hard to get our home study and dossier ready to go. God truly has his hand in this. We got an e-mail today from America World our International Adoption agency and Ethiopia has put on hold the requirement to travel twice to Ethiopia. The added expense could have been done but it would have been an unexpected expense. We don't know how long this will be on hold but pray for all the families in the process that this will help expedite their new families. We continue the process with uplifted hearts and hands. Please continue to pray for us, our children who our Lord has chosen for us, and all the other families and their children as well.

Today is a new day

Today is the day we were to hear from our International Agency. We did but they have more questions and just needed some more information. It did put us both on pins and needles, but I think this was God's way of preparing us for the rest of the journey. All is going as expected. I believe the Lord has used this time to help prepare us for the journey, and that part of the journey which will include our new sons. To that end we will continue to pray and be grateful for all that we already are blessed with.

We begin the journey

Yesterday we started the parenting class required for adoption. We met some people who are also adopting from Ethiopia and made some connections. The paperwork is incredible!! (as most of you who have been through this process already know). However, we are excited to continue our journey. My husband just found out we have to travel to Africa twice, a new requirement just this week. He looked at the map and I think he is having second thoughts, not about the children, but about the travel. He secretely, does not like to fly. I did read a blog about someone using benadryl for their child who was having a tough time on the plane, I think I may have to use it for my husband!!!! We will keep you posted as we continue our journey. Please pray for the children and for all the to be parents.