Devastated!

Today was our Court date in Ethiopia. We did not pass Court. We are heartbroken. Our agency is bewildered. At the moment there are no answers. Only monumental questions. Normally, a family would be assigned a new Court date and the issue would be resolved before the Court appearance. With us it is different. Seems our little man came from an orphanage that recently had sanctions placed upon them. For what I don't know. But since their license is currently not approved, then all the paperwork for our little man will no longer be accepted by the Court. Nobody knows what to do. This has apparently never happened before. What does this mean for us? What does this mean for our little man? Our hearts are breaking. We are devastated.

Update!!

Still finding it hard to post. Too much swirling around my already crowded head. Very busy at work, home, life. But there is a little sunshine to tide me over. Him. Our little man.

Last week we got the good news that Ethiopia would not be requiring the two trips for the time being. Huge for us since going there once will nearly break the bank. The day after we received that bit of good news we got an even better bit....our Court date!! Not to give too much away, as I am still extremely leery about posting too much and getting my butt in trouble, but it is next week. Next week we will hopefully pass Court. Next week he will, for all intents and purposes, be ours! So, if you are reading this keep sending positive thoughts our way and if you pray, send one up to the Big Guy for us. If we pass, and I think we will, then we wait for our Embassy appointment date. When we get that we go. Could be sooner, but really hoping for June.

The Empress and I, with a bit of help from T, put the nursery together this past weekend. It turned out cute, but feels really incomplete. With the Empress we had tons of clothes and toys and lots and lots of girly girl things for her before she arrived. With him, not much. We decided on an elephant theme and I have a few real cute elephant goodies. I took apart some of my childhood "Babar" books, (*cringe") framed some of the pages and called it good. Babar was one of my favorites as a child and I had all the books.....they are all over 40 years old. Sad I took them apart, but plan on replacing them soon for our little guy.

We got an update on "him" on Friday. He is growing and is currently tipping the scales at 20 lbs. He is also an amazing 27 in. Perhaps that doesn't sound big to anyone else, but we only have experience with one little peanut from China. He is crawling, too. I am sending an iron supplement and multi-vitamin over with a traveling family this week. Hopefully our boy will have kicked his iron deficiency anemia by the time we bring him home. The gal who is taking the meds to him has also promised lots of pictures. Hooray. I only have a week to wait to see more of those big brown eyes.

Gotta close. Things are moving along and we couldn't be more happy!

Wordless Wednesday

My Growing Absence

So here is what happened. I truly intended to pick up the pace. I intended to post several February goodies, as February has always been insanely packed with activity. But, we got our referral. Seems like that would be a reason to write...and it definately is. We are excited beyond words. Our house is a flurry of baby related activity. But, here's the rub....I am unable to say too much about our little bundle of boy joy. It could actually jeopardize our adoption. I will say, and I am confident I can say, that we are now waiting for our Court date. This could take a couple months. After we pass Court, which is possible on the first try, but ultimately not always probable, he will be ours and I can spill all the beans about his adorableness! For now, we wait and continue with paperwork. Next week we travel to Helena to have our fingerprints done. Hopefully after that our government paperwork will be completed and we can put that behind us. If we pass Court on the first try, and I feel we will, then it is approximately two more months before we can travel to get our little guy. It will be a quick trip in comparison to China, but one we are both totally looking forward too. The Empress and Tootie and the Pug Man (our sweet lovable dogs) will have a bit of an adventure as well as BB and Papa J will be taking care of them in our absence. T's sister JG will be traveling with us and we are both relieved and excited as she is a nurse and it is always a bonus to have a nurse on a journey to a third world country. Last adoption we took my sis S....who consequently is also a nurse.

So, for now, that is all the information I am able to share. Just know we are soooooo blessed in the referral we have received. He will fit our family perfectly. Happily, my dreams now have a sweet face!

Long Overdue Recap.....and, the NEW ADDITION

Shoot. Somehow I have become a major blogging slacker. Now I have the unpleasant duty to recap a very eventful couple of weeks. Here we go...

On February 13th we had a Chinese New Year dinner party. Somewhat poorly planned. I literally prepped for 4 hours and cooked for 1 hour. Though it was all very tasty, I think the sheer magnitude dulled the flavor. I wasn't impressed, but our guests seemed like they were. After dinner we celebrated the New Year with fireworks...and they were awesome. The Empress looked adorable in her blue silk dress and she thoroughly enjoyed her "lucky money" and stuffed Tiger.

Happy Valentine's Day and our little pug man's 2nd birthday. I gorged myself with my favorite chocolates...Fran's Gray Salt Caramels. Oh my!

Monday was President's Day....woopee. Court Holiday. Day off.

The Empress' 5th birthday was the 18th. She has been sooooo excited for weeks. T left on Tuesday for NASA. (Yes, I said NASA!) So, he missed the big day. And, her early birthday present on the 17th. Which leads us to the NEW ADDITION....

On Wednesday, the 17th, while sitting at my desk at work, I received THE CALL. Yes, THE CALL. We received the referral of our baby boy. Hooray, and he is simply adorable. Can't say too much more until we are officially his parents, but we are so excited and extremely happy. The Empress was elated to "get" a baby brother for her 5th birthday. I am disappointed that T was not here as we were unable to gaze upon his little face together, but we managed to connect by phone and we both agree that he is perfect and our little family is finally complete. Happiness.

Heart for Haiti

If I had a dollar for every time someone asked me if we had thought about adopting an earthquake orphan from Haiti, I would have a million dollars to donate to the Hope for Haiti cause.

I am no expert on international adoption, but I would guess I know quite a bit more than the average person. Our current international adoption is nearing the two year mark. This is a process people. In order to protect the children involved, extensive paperwork is required. Apparently child trafficing is something either you haven't considered, or perhaps you feel by neglecting the situation it will disappear, or fail to exist at all. Truth is it is very real. And, it is happening right now in Haiti.

While it is very true that there are some very big hearted people concerned for these children. It is also true that they may not have thought the whole orphan definition through. What if a baby's parents were suddenly killed in a horrible earthquake. That child needs help. You can provide a home, education, love, family. You step up hoping to do the right thing. In your mind you are saving that child. Well, what if that baby's father was at work across town and was injured in the earthquake and unable to locate his family in the aftermath of the earthquake? What if that baby's grandmother lives in the next village? What if it's brother was playing with friends down the street? What if? Suddenly you are breaking up a family. A loving family that because of the earthquake are unable to locate each other quickly?

Send aid. Volunteer your time. This is not the time for adopting the orphans of Haiti. It is too soon. The Haitian government is not able to process adoptions right now. They are currently dealing with the much bigger issue of 200,000+ dead. Any adoption that goes through now, not including those adoptions that were in process with paperwork completed, should not be trusted. Wait it out. Provide help, but please don't jump into a quick adoption. You may be breaking up a family.

The "Lost" Lobotomy

So I have been waiting, ever so patiently, for the premier of my FAVORITE show. Lost. Yes, Lost. I am a "Lostie." I "get Lost in Lost." Last night was the night. I choreographed the entire evening so that the moment the premier started I would be happily, snuggly, tucked away in my chair with no distractions. I worked out, ate, cleaned the kitchen and put the Empress to bed.

And so it began. After last season's finale, I thought I had a good grasp on what was going on. I thought, probably stupidly, that this year would sorta wrap that little package up, so to speak. Thought we would begin to understand. But I am sooooo confused.

The hydrogen bomb was detonated. They are suddenly on the plane, back where they belong? Jack is there, Hurley, Kate, Sawyer, and even Locke. But, suddenly it gets kinda weird. Boone is there, but Shannon isn't. Maybe I am reading too much in to it, but I thought that strange. And what about Desmond, brutha? He was never on the first flight, so why was he on this flight, and why did he seem to disappear from the plane half way through the flight? Did Jack imagine him? As they pass over where the island should be we get an underwater view of the sunken island. Has it worked?

Flash sideways?? They are waking up....on the island after the explosion. They appear to be in the correct time. Goodbye 70's. But, I don't get it. Is this a parallel universe? Juliet lives, for an appreciable amount of time. During that time she talks about getting a cup of coffee with Sawyer, but dies after telling him she has something to tell him. As he is burying her he asks Miles what she meant. After communing with the dead Juliet he says...."she said it worked." So is an alive Juliet walking around in a parallel universe waiting to one day have coffee with Sawyer?

Jacob is back, but dead? Sayid dies and comes back.....as Jacob, perhaps? Locke isn't Locke, but the man in black and the smoke monster. There is a temple with special healing waters and an asian guy who appears to be in charge. New "others."

Sorry for the randomness, but really that is what it was, random. Of course I LOVED it!! It was fabulous. Thought provoking maze of connecting chaos. How?? Why?? Really??