Posts
Nile my little salesman!
9 years ago
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Monday, December 21, 2009
Home for Three Months
It's hard to believe three months have passed since we returned home from Ethiopia. The time has flown by, and yet it's hard to remember what life was like before Myles.
Our now 9-month-old is 18 lbs 4 oz and something like 27 or 28 inches (I can't remember exactly). The first two months home Myles grew A LOT and tried to catch up developmentally. Now he's in a learning phase where every day he comes home from school doing something different. It's so sweet! Last week he loved giving high-fives. This week he loves to clap for everything. When we were leaving church yesterday, I told him to wave goodbye to the preschool staff and he clapped instead. When Chris got him up this morning, Myles clapped for him.
Myles is still a little behind in that he's not crawling or pulling up. We have a great (free!) early intervention program in our area, so we're going to have him evaluated soon.
We've also discovered that Myles has a strong gag reflex. At Thanksgiving we gave him his first taste of mashed potatoes, and the second they touched his tongue, he threw up. A couple weeks later we tried grits, and the same thing happened. So now we'll be trying table foods while he's dressed in nothing but his diaper. :) He's also starting to act like he doesn't like foods he loved just a few weeks ago, but we keep giving them to him anyway. It's just odd because we've never heard of Ethiopian adoptees having this kind of food problem.
Here's Myles' welcome home video from three months ago. I just can't believe how much he's changed. Or how much one week changed our lives forever.
Our now 9-month-old is 18 lbs 4 oz and something like 27 or 28 inches (I can't remember exactly). The first two months home Myles grew A LOT and tried to catch up developmentally. Now he's in a learning phase where every day he comes home from school doing something different. It's so sweet! Last week he loved giving high-fives. This week he loves to clap for everything. When we were leaving church yesterday, I told him to wave goodbye to the preschool staff and he clapped instead. When Chris got him up this morning, Myles clapped for him.
Myles is still a little behind in that he's not crawling or pulling up. We have a great (free!) early intervention program in our area, so we're going to have him evaluated soon.
We've also discovered that Myles has a strong gag reflex. At Thanksgiving we gave him his first taste of mashed potatoes, and the second they touched his tongue, he threw up. A couple weeks later we tried grits, and the same thing happened. So now we'll be trying table foods while he's dressed in nothing but his diaper. :) He's also starting to act like he doesn't like foods he loved just a few weeks ago, but we keep giving them to him anyway. It's just odd because we've never heard of Ethiopian adoptees having this kind of food problem.
Here's Myles' welcome home video from three months ago. I just can't believe how much he's changed. Or how much one week changed our lives forever.
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Thinking of You
Monday, December 7, 2009
Family Photos
We took our first family photos about a month ago (I'm a terrible blogger!). Myles is already bigger and taller and has lots more hair. :) And the beginnings of a second tooth!
You can check out more photos here (just scroll down).
Myles has his 9-month-old check-up in a week, so I'll post more soon!
You can check out more photos here (just scroll down).
Myles has his 9-month-old check-up in a week, so I'll post more soon!
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Wish You Were Here
Myles is 7 months old today! We celebrated with his first trip to the beach. (The pics I took were way overexposed and these are my lame attempts to fix them.) Myles decided he wanted to roll off his towel over and over again to get to the sand. Apparently he thinks it's yummy. He was not a fan of the water or being placed on the wet sand. He does, however, love the pool! He's growing up so fast!
I also forgot to mention in our last post that you can see more pics of Myles on Twitter.com if you search for #mylespicofday. We try to post a new photo each day, so you can catch up there.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
A Family for Four Weeks
I always wondered why it took people so long to post after they got home, ha ha! Now I know. These past few weeks have flown by, too quickly (well, not the first week and a half — see previous post!). But we are doing so well now! Here's a little about us:
Eating and sleeping: Myles was a great sleeper while we were in Ethiopia but he wasn't very interested in eating. When we first got home he was starving all the time and never wanted to sleep. We also discovered Myles was probably held quite a bit, which is a great problem to have but made bedtime challenging. We all finally adjusted to the time change and we're on a good schedule. And we don't have to rock Myles to sleep anymore. We can lay him down drowsy and he'll go to sleep. We're at the beach right now and he's sleeping like a champ. We've also started cereals and have some squash to try out this week. We've tried a little juice also but so far he's not a taker.
Bonding: Myles is such a sweet, easygoing, and funny baby that it's easy to love him. But the bonding really was not instantaneous for me. It's a process, and jet lag and the flu didn't help. But it gets better all the time. I'm not sure yet that Myles knows we're his parents. He will go to anyone without fuss, so it's hard to tell.
Development: We've been to the pediatrician and the Vanderbilt International Clinic for Myles to be checked out. He's in the 17th percentile for weight, the 19th for height, and his head circumference is something like the 71st percentile! We haven't gotten back all of his bloodwork yet, but so far so good. Myles isn't too far behind developmentally, with the exception of his torso strength. When we first got home he wouldn't bear any weight on his legs, but he does now. In fact, Myles had an ultrasound on his soft spot to be sure there wasn't excess fluid on the brain that was hindering his development (there wasn't). He continues to make progress and does amazingly well with tummy time. I don't think it will be too much longer until he's able to sit. He's also very vocal (it's so hilarious to hear him roll his R's) and says new sounds all the time. He loves to "sing" in the car.
More about Myles: When we were in Ethiopia Myles wouldn't take a paci, but we've found one he loves. Give this kid a paci and a blankie and he's out! He loves blankies, really fabric and anything with texture. He's fascinated with his hands and feet. He actively tries to make us laugh. His first trick when we got home was scrunching his nose and sniffing in and out for laughs. His newest trick is fake coughing, which he learned from our nephew Eli last weekend. We got him a Baby Einstein stationary jumper to help with his leg strength (that and tummy time has really helped), and he loves it. He also loves music. He does this funny little wiggle and nods his head when music comes on.
The dog: Myles seems to like Topher, or at least doesn't mind him. Topher has been really sweet with Myles, which is a miracle. I've had to pry fistfuls of Topher's hair out of Myles' hands and Topher has been so gentle.
We're on vacation right now, so I don't have my laptop with pics from our trip. But I do plan to post about our trip soon. I don't have tons of pictures anyway because our camera broke on our first day in Ethiopia. A few families have sent us some great pics, which we really appreciate!!!
For now, here are a few shots I have from Chris' computer:
Eating and sleeping: Myles was a great sleeper while we were in Ethiopia but he wasn't very interested in eating. When we first got home he was starving all the time and never wanted to sleep. We also discovered Myles was probably held quite a bit, which is a great problem to have but made bedtime challenging. We all finally adjusted to the time change and we're on a good schedule. And we don't have to rock Myles to sleep anymore. We can lay him down drowsy and he'll go to sleep. We're at the beach right now and he's sleeping like a champ. We've also started cereals and have some squash to try out this week. We've tried a little juice also but so far he's not a taker.
Bonding: Myles is such a sweet, easygoing, and funny baby that it's easy to love him. But the bonding really was not instantaneous for me. It's a process, and jet lag and the flu didn't help. But it gets better all the time. I'm not sure yet that Myles knows we're his parents. He will go to anyone without fuss, so it's hard to tell.
Development: We've been to the pediatrician and the Vanderbilt International Clinic for Myles to be checked out. He's in the 17th percentile for weight, the 19th for height, and his head circumference is something like the 71st percentile! We haven't gotten back all of his bloodwork yet, but so far so good. Myles isn't too far behind developmentally, with the exception of his torso strength. When we first got home he wouldn't bear any weight on his legs, but he does now. In fact, Myles had an ultrasound on his soft spot to be sure there wasn't excess fluid on the brain that was hindering his development (there wasn't). He continues to make progress and does amazingly well with tummy time. I don't think it will be too much longer until he's able to sit. He's also very vocal (it's so hilarious to hear him roll his R's) and says new sounds all the time. He loves to "sing" in the car.
More about Myles: When we were in Ethiopia Myles wouldn't take a paci, but we've found one he loves. Give this kid a paci and a blankie and he's out! He loves blankies, really fabric and anything with texture. He's fascinated with his hands and feet. He actively tries to make us laugh. His first trick when we got home was scrunching his nose and sniffing in and out for laughs. His newest trick is fake coughing, which he learned from our nephew Eli last weekend. We got him a Baby Einstein stationary jumper to help with his leg strength (that and tummy time has really helped), and he loves it. He also loves music. He does this funny little wiggle and nods his head when music comes on.
The dog: Myles seems to like Topher, or at least doesn't mind him. Topher has been really sweet with Myles, which is a miracle. I've had to pry fistfuls of Topher's hair out of Myles' hands and Topher has been so gentle.
We're on vacation right now, so I don't have my laptop with pics from our trip. But I do plan to post about our trip soon. I don't have tons of pictures anyway because our camera broke on our first day in Ethiopia. A few families have sent us some great pics, which we really appreciate!!!
For now, here are a few shots I have from Chris' computer:
Friday, September 25, 2009
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
It has been quite an eventful first week home as the Hollomon three.
The Bad and the Ugly: We touched down at JFK last Saturday morning and stopped to get some food first thing. When Chris went to pay, his debit card was declined. After a quick call to the bank, we discovered Chris' debit card number had been stolen and someone in our hometown went on a many hundreds of dollars shopping spree while we were in Ethiopia. The card was flagged by the bank because of some of their purchases. We're working to get that resolved. Then Sunday we discovered our refrigerator was broken, so we took all of our food to the church freezer. What are the odds that the church freezer would break? I'm not great at math, but it happened. And now today, our van died. Then within the hour we totaled our other car. So, as a word of caution, please steer clear of us or you may be struck by lightning.
The Good: In the midst of all of our drama, getting over some minor illnesses plus jet lag and time changes, Myles is adjusting really well. I'll post more about him later as well as our trip. Please pray for us!!!
The Bad and the Ugly: We touched down at JFK last Saturday morning and stopped to get some food first thing. When Chris went to pay, his debit card was declined. After a quick call to the bank, we discovered Chris' debit card number had been stolen and someone in our hometown went on a many hundreds of dollars shopping spree while we were in Ethiopia. The card was flagged by the bank because of some of their purchases. We're working to get that resolved. Then Sunday we discovered our refrigerator was broken, so we took all of our food to the church freezer. What are the odds that the church freezer would break? I'm not great at math, but it happened. And now today, our van died. Then within the hour we totaled our other car. So, as a word of caution, please steer clear of us or you may be struck by lightning.
The Good: In the midst of all of our drama, getting over some minor illnesses plus jet lag and time changes, Myles is adjusting really well. I'll post more about him later as well as our trip. Please pray for us!!!
Saturday, September 12, 2009
And We're Off!
Well, here we are. It's overwhelming to think that we'll be holding Myles in our arms in just two days. We are so thankful for all of your prayers and support. Please continue to pray for travel mercies and a great bonding time as a family.
A BIG THANK-YOU to all of you who are helping around the house while we are away — all the house sitters, house cleaners, dog sitters, meal preparers, curtain sewers :), and everyone else who will be helping out around the abode while we travel. It is a huge weight off of our minds! We appreciate you all!
The next time we see you, this Hollomon two will be three!
A BIG THANK-YOU to all of you who are helping around the house while we are away — all the house sitters, house cleaners, dog sitters, meal preparers, curtain sewers :), and everyone else who will be helping out around the abode while we travel. It is a huge weight off of our minds! We appreciate you all!
The next time we see you, this Hollomon two will be three!
Friday, September 11, 2009
Want to Meet Myles?
We get back to Nashville on Saturday, September 19th, via Delta Airlines Flight 6489 from JFK to Nashville at 5:10 p.m. We would love to see you at the airport!
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Less Than Two Weeks
I must admit, when I first heard it was going to be five weeks until we could travel, I was totally disappointed. But boy, have we needed this time! We've had lots of little hiccups along the way. Now here we are, two weeks minus a day until we leave for Ethiopia and two weeks plus a day until we have Myles in our arms.
This fact definitely became more real to me this week. Our sweet friend Kat, new mom to TWINS! from Ethiopia, sent us this new pic of Myles this week. He's so grown up! And he has hair! I guess this means I need to go buy some shampoo. :)
We are busy finishing all of our last-minute house projects (nothing major, just shampooing carpets, touching up paint, and cleaning out closets and cabinets to make room for baby stuff). And I've been working on washing baby clothes, sterilizing bottles, paperwork, and packing. I LOVED finally being able to take tags off the little baby clothes we've gotten and washing them. I'm sure that will get old soon enough. :)
More soon!
Friday, August 7, 2009
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Could This Be Our Week?
This is The Week we've been waiting for (well, one of them anyway!). We have our court date this Friday. The process really begins the day before because the area of the government that oversees adoptions will issue an opinion on our case before the judge makes a final decision on Friday. Should we pass on Friday, Myles will be legally our child! We would also find out our travel dates if this happens.
Would you please join with us in praying that everything will go smoothly for us and we will officially become parents this Friday? There are so many little pieces of the puzzle that must fall into place, from electricity being turned on to having all of the paperwork in order to the ability of the judge to appear in court that day. We are so ready to bring Myles home!
In the meantime, enjoy this picture of our sweet baby's foot!
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Myles to Go
Our original court date was supposed to be this week, but thankfully that's barely been a blip on my radar. Chris and I have so much to do and so much excitement ahead that I haven't had time to dwell on what might have been. We're still optimistic about our August 7th court date, and we appreciate your prayers!
We're back in preparing for Myles mode at the Hollomon house. Our to-do list is a mile long, but I don't know where to start! There are a few odds-and-ends that I'd like to do around that house that aren't necessary but I prefer to do before Myles gets here (shampoo the carpet, pressure wash the house, clean baseboards, etc.). I have a few decorative things to do to the nursery before it's finished, but the bulk of it is done. I'm also thinking about foods I can make ahead and freeze for when we return from Africa.
And we're so excited to have a baby shower this Sunday!!! Myles is clearly loved by many already, for which we are very thankful. I'll try to post some pictures early next week.
We have a few friends with court dates this Friday, so know that we are thinking of you! Give Myles a squeeze for us when you travel!
We're back in preparing for Myles mode at the Hollomon house. Our to-do list is a mile long, but I don't know where to start! There are a few odds-and-ends that I'd like to do around that house that aren't necessary but I prefer to do before Myles gets here (shampoo the carpet, pressure wash the house, clean baseboards, etc.). I have a few decorative things to do to the nursery before it's finished, but the bulk of it is done. I'm also thinking about foods I can make ahead and freeze for when we return from Africa.
And we're so excited to have a baby shower this Sunday!!! Myles is clearly loved by many already, for which we are very thankful. I'll try to post some pictures early next week.
We have a few friends with court dates this Friday, so know that we are thinking of you! Give Myles a squeeze for us when you travel!
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
A Cautiously Optimistic, Pretty Good, Not Too Bad Day
We got the call yesterday that we have a new court date: August 7th!!!
Whew! That's a huge sigh of relief. We obviously still covet your prayers, as we are not home free yet. We need for the weather to hold out, for the necessary people to issue a positive opinion, for the judge to appear on our court date, for the judge to show us favor, for all of our paperwork to be in order, and so on and so on. But we have hope!
In other big news, we decided on a name:
Myles E* Hollomon
(Yes, this is the name that won in our poll.)
Myles turned 4 months old yesterday. A sweet adoptive mom sent me pictures this past weekend from when she traveled to pick up her little one, and I can't believe how grown-up he looks! He's too cute for words. And he did NOT like the outfit we sent. :-/
We also got busy registering at Babies R Us, Target, and Amazon.com because we have our first baby shower coming up in only 11 days! It's a church-wide shower on Sunday, July 26, from 3:00-5:00 p.m. in the World Cup Cafe. I can't wait!!! I love to go to baby showers, so I can't imagine how much fun it is to get presents for OUR BABY!
Thanks for everyone praying us through this past week. It was really, really tough. We can't wait to be able to share the news that Myles is legally our son!
Whew! That's a huge sigh of relief. We obviously still covet your prayers, as we are not home free yet. We need for the weather to hold out, for the necessary people to issue a positive opinion, for the judge to appear on our court date, for the judge to show us favor, for all of our paperwork to be in order, and so on and so on. But we have hope!
In other big news, we decided on a name:
Myles E* Hollomon
(Yes, this is the name that won in our poll.)
Myles turned 4 months old yesterday. A sweet adoptive mom sent me pictures this past weekend from when she traveled to pick up her little one, and I can't believe how grown-up he looks! He's too cute for words. And he did NOT like the outfit we sent. :-/
We also got busy registering at Babies R Us, Target, and Amazon.com because we have our first baby shower coming up in only 11 days! It's a church-wide shower on Sunday, July 26, from 3:00-5:00 p.m. in the World Cup Cafe. I can't wait!!! I love to go to baby showers, so I can't imagine how much fun it is to get presents for OUR BABY!
Thanks for everyone praying us through this past week. It was really, really tough. We can't wait to be able to share the news that Myles is legally our son!
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
A Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
We got some bad news today. Our court date, which was supposed to be two weeks from today, July 22nd, was postponed.
We are obviously so sad and disappointed. We were prepared not to get a court date in the first place, but we certainly were not prepared for this scenario. I, in particular, don't deal so well with surprises, and I'm extremely cautious about getting my hopes up. But when we got our court date last Tuesday, my hopes skyrocketed. I didn't allow myself to think about the "what-ifs," so this really hurts.
But this is adoption. It's unpredictable, it's emotional, and it's not easy. We know this. Ask any adoptive family.
But it still hurts.
Please pray for us and the other families who are affected by this. We need these mountains to move:
1. That we would get a speedy court date before the closures on August 7th.
2. That there will be no more obstacles in our way to passing court before the closures, from paperwork to judges being unable to appear to power outtages, and anything else I can't even think of.
3. If we're not able to pass before the closures, that we'll have a quick court date in early October.
4. That God will give us strength to make it through this tough time.
5. That Baby E will stay healthy and strong.
We are obviously so sad and disappointed. We were prepared not to get a court date in the first place, but we certainly were not prepared for this scenario. I, in particular, don't deal so well with surprises, and I'm extremely cautious about getting my hopes up. But when we got our court date last Tuesday, my hopes skyrocketed. I didn't allow myself to think about the "what-ifs," so this really hurts.
But this is adoption. It's unpredictable, it's emotional, and it's not easy. We know this. Ask any adoptive family.
But it still hurts.
Please pray for us and the other families who are affected by this. We need these mountains to move:
1. That we would get a speedy court date before the closures on August 7th.
2. That there will be no more obstacles in our way to passing court before the closures, from paperwork to judges being unable to appear to power outtages, and anything else I can't even think of.
3. If we're not able to pass before the closures, that we'll have a quick court date in early October.
4. That God will give us strength to make it through this tough time.
5. That Baby E will stay healthy and strong.
Friday, July 3, 2009
Court Date and Update!
We have been out of town all week at student ministry camp with no Internet access, but....
Our caseworker called on Tuesday to let us know that we have a court date!!!! July 22nd. Please continue to pray for us.
We also got an update and a new picture of Baby E:
“E* is such a happy and content little baby! He both smiles spontaneously as well as smiling whenever I held up the camera to take his picture. I went through his photo album with him and pointed out the pictures of his mommy and daddy and other family members and he smiled while I was doing that. He loves when you talk to him and he absolutely lights up. You can really tell that he loves to interact with people!”
In the new pic, E has a huge grin on his face. It is so sweet!
Can't wait to catch up on blogs to hear about some more good news!
Our caseworker called on Tuesday to let us know that we have a court date!!!! July 22nd. Please continue to pray for us.
We also got an update and a new picture of Baby E:
“E* is such a happy and content little baby! He both smiles spontaneously as well as smiling whenever I held up the camera to take his picture. I went through his photo album with him and pointed out the pictures of his mommy and daddy and other family members and he smiled while I was doing that. He loves when you talk to him and he absolutely lights up. You can really tell that he loves to interact with people!”
In the new pic, E has a huge grin on his face. It is so sweet!
Can't wait to catch up on blogs to hear about some more good news!
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Praying for a Court Date
I can't believe it's only been three weeks today since our referral — it seems like it was forever ago! Our friends the Hoods are in Ethiopia picking up their daughter, and they got to meet and spend some time with Baby E today. We got word that he is doing awesome and that he seems to be a favorite among the caregivers. That does my heart good! From what I understand, Amy took lots of photos and video for us, which I'm so excited about. But even more than the pictures, I'm excited to hear more about E's personality, whether he's laughing yet, how big he's getting, and all that good stuff.
Hearing more about E and seeing other families receive July court dates, I'm getting more anxious to hear about our court date. Most of you probably know by now that the Ethiopian courts close in August and September for rainy season, so we need to be assigned a court date and pass before then to have any hopes of traveling soon. Otherwise it will be late fall/early winter. And we want our baby home! Would you join with us in praying:
1. That we will be assigned a court date, and fast!
2. That all of the paperwork will be in order, that there's electricity, that all the judges are present, and that all of those other little details will fall into place so we can pass court on the first try and before rainy season.
3. That God will give us peace and comfort if we have to wait a little longer and that the waiting flies by.
4. That Baby E will stay healthy and strong while he waits for us to come get him.
Hearing more about E and seeing other families receive July court dates, I'm getting more anxious to hear about our court date. Most of you probably know by now that the Ethiopian courts close in August and September for rainy season, so we need to be assigned a court date and pass before then to have any hopes of traveling soon. Otherwise it will be late fall/early winter. And we want our baby home! Would you join with us in praying:
1. That we will be assigned a court date, and fast!
2. That all of the paperwork will be in order, that there's electricity, that all the judges are present, and that all of those other little details will fall into place so we can pass court on the first try and before rainy season.
3. That God will give us peace and comfort if we have to wait a little longer and that the waiting flies by.
4. That Baby E will stay healthy and strong while he waits for us to come get him.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Happy 3 Months, Baby E!
Baby E is (unofficially) three months old today! The past week and a half since our referral has been a big, exciting blur. Chris and I can't stop staring at pictures of our little guy. I notice different things about him all the time. One picture shows a little scratch where he got himself with his baby fingernail. Another shows a tiny hint of a dimple. And much to our surprise, we already got our first update on E! The new picture shows a sleepy baby blowing bubbles while taking a sunbath. He's got the cutest little sparkle in his eye.
We still haven't decided on a name, although we've narrowed it down to two. It's just such a huge decision! I don't want to give him a name he won't like or that he'll be made fun of for having.
We did, however, choose bedding and paint for E's room. I'll post pictures once we're able to get everything together.
Other than that, we're just busy preparing for baby. A couple from our small group invited us over for dinner earlier in the week, and when we got there, SURPRISE! They had invited our entire small group over to celebrate our referral! E racked up some toys and books. It was so sweet and fun!
I'm still hoping and praying that we get a court date soon and pass before the closures. We can't wait to bring this guy home!
We still haven't decided on a name, although we've narrowed it down to two. It's just such a huge decision! I don't want to give him a name he won't like or that he'll be made fun of for having.
We did, however, choose bedding and paint for E's room. I'll post pictures once we're able to get everything together.
Other than that, we're just busy preparing for baby. A couple from our small group invited us over for dinner earlier in the week, and when we got there, SURPRISE! They had invited our entire small group over to celebrate our referral! E racked up some toys and books. It was so sweet and fun!
I'm still hoping and praying that we get a court date soon and pass before the closures. We can't wait to bring this guy home!
Friday, June 5, 2009
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Ooh, Baby, Baby!
We're a little over 24 hours post-referral, and I'm already one sleep-deprived mama! After all of the excitement yesterday, I was only able to sleep for about 30 minutes between midnight and 1 a.m. Then it was all tossing, turning, and getting up to look at his picture again. :)
I'll preface our referral day experience by saying that I was NOT expecting the call on Wednesday. (So many people say the same thing, but it was so true!) I had been riding the adoption roller coaster mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. I was on a high as we rose to the top of the unofficial waiting list, and I was on a low as April passed by without a referral. Then sometime in May I went kind of numb. It really felt like our referral was never going to happen. I realized that I had been in a perpetual holding pattern, afraid to do anything, to decide anything, to plan anything, just in case the call came. I was driving myself crazy. So I decided no more blog stalking or keeping my cell phone attached to the hip. I pushed adoption thoughts to the back of my mind as best as I could.
Cut to Wednesday, June 3, 2009. I woke up feeling light and peaceful, although I still wasn't thinking it could be our referral day. To be honest, there couldn't have been a busier day to get our referral (not that we minded!!!)
Abbey, our caseworker, called my office phone at 3:20 p.m. to tell us she had good news for us — and I missed it!!! I was getting ready to leave work for the day, so I went to check my mail on another floor of our office building and stopped to go to the bathroom before I left. I got back to my desk, still never noticing that I had a message. So, Chris called my cell a few minutes later to tell me that we'd gotten the call and I'd better hurry home! I was so confused because I kept thinking, But why did Abbey call you? I haven't missed a call. I was expecting the call on my cell phone, so it really threw me.
So I hurried to meet Chris at his office, texting illegally while driving and trying not to kill myself. I cried, prayed, and tried to wrap my brain around what was about to happen.
When I got to Chris's office, he had set up a video camera, his phone, and his laptop. He was ready! We called Abbey a few minutes after 4 p.m., and she answered right away, saying she had our referral! We had asked for an infant 0-12 months, but we were pretty much expecting an older infant. So when Abbey introduced us to 2.5-month-old E*, we were shocked and thrilled!!! Chris and I laughed and laughed because we wanted an infant as young as possible but we didn't think THAT was possible.
Abbey gave us the scoop on E, and we got to see some pictures of him. He's a doll, a tiny peanut of a thing, and totally healthy! The entire evening was so surreal. I couldn't believe that we were finally getting to see our son.
For those who are still waiting for a referral, hang in there! Something magical happens when you see that little face and you realize it was all worth it. I didn't believe it before when people said it, but it's the truth.
Next we begin our next wait for a court date. We really don't have a good guess as to when it may happen. For those who don't know, the courts close in Ethiopia in August and September because of rainy season. It's my understanding that electricity, internet, travel, etc., is sketchy then. We're praying for a super-speedy court date so we can pass before the closures, but we're also prepared that it may not happen until later this year. We're cautiously optimistic!
Now it's time to have some fun! We have to decide on a name! We'll keep his Ethiopian name as his middle name, but we'll give him an American first name. It's so hard to decide! And we've got to get some BABY baby stuff, since everything we have is for 12-24 months.
To paraphrase "Elf," we're in love, we're in love, and we don't care who knows it!
Praying for lots more referrals, court dates, and forever families soon!
*For family and friends who don't know, we can't post E's name or any pictures yet because he's not legally ours until we pass court. When he's officially ours, get ready!
I'll preface our referral day experience by saying that I was NOT expecting the call on Wednesday. (So many people say the same thing, but it was so true!) I had been riding the adoption roller coaster mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. I was on a high as we rose to the top of the unofficial waiting list, and I was on a low as April passed by without a referral. Then sometime in May I went kind of numb. It really felt like our referral was never going to happen. I realized that I had been in a perpetual holding pattern, afraid to do anything, to decide anything, to plan anything, just in case the call came. I was driving myself crazy. So I decided no more blog stalking or keeping my cell phone attached to the hip. I pushed adoption thoughts to the back of my mind as best as I could.
Cut to Wednesday, June 3, 2009. I woke up feeling light and peaceful, although I still wasn't thinking it could be our referral day. To be honest, there couldn't have been a busier day to get our referral (not that we minded!!!)
Abbey, our caseworker, called my office phone at 3:20 p.m. to tell us she had good news for us — and I missed it!!! I was getting ready to leave work for the day, so I went to check my mail on another floor of our office building and stopped to go to the bathroom before I left. I got back to my desk, still never noticing that I had a message. So, Chris called my cell a few minutes later to tell me that we'd gotten the call and I'd better hurry home! I was so confused because I kept thinking, But why did Abbey call you? I haven't missed a call. I was expecting the call on my cell phone, so it really threw me.
So I hurried to meet Chris at his office, texting illegally while driving and trying not to kill myself. I cried, prayed, and tried to wrap my brain around what was about to happen.
When I got to Chris's office, he had set up a video camera, his phone, and his laptop. He was ready! We called Abbey a few minutes after 4 p.m., and she answered right away, saying she had our referral! We had asked for an infant 0-12 months, but we were pretty much expecting an older infant. So when Abbey introduced us to 2.5-month-old E*, we were shocked and thrilled!!! Chris and I laughed and laughed because we wanted an infant as young as possible but we didn't think THAT was possible.
Abbey gave us the scoop on E, and we got to see some pictures of him. He's a doll, a tiny peanut of a thing, and totally healthy! The entire evening was so surreal. I couldn't believe that we were finally getting to see our son.
For those who are still waiting for a referral, hang in there! Something magical happens when you see that little face and you realize it was all worth it. I didn't believe it before when people said it, but it's the truth.
Next we begin our next wait for a court date. We really don't have a good guess as to when it may happen. For those who don't know, the courts close in Ethiopia in August and September because of rainy season. It's my understanding that electricity, internet, travel, etc., is sketchy then. We're praying for a super-speedy court date so we can pass before the closures, but we're also prepared that it may not happen until later this year. We're cautiously optimistic!
Now it's time to have some fun! We have to decide on a name! We'll keep his Ethiopian name as his middle name, but we'll give him an American first name. It's so hard to decide! And we've got to get some BABY baby stuff, since everything we have is for 12-24 months.
To paraphrase "Elf," we're in love, we're in love, and we don't care who knows it!
Praying for lots more referrals, court dates, and forever families soon!
*For family and friends who don't know, we can't post E's name or any pictures yet because he's not legally ours until we pass court. When he's officially ours, get ready!
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
What Goes Up Must Come Down
Why do I do these things to myself? I stayed up way too late watching Idol and the Biggest Loser finale and I'm feeling it today, physically and mentally.
I'm down today. No sign of a referral yet, and the Referral/Court Date page is looking pretty intimidating.
When is it ever going to be our turn?
I'm down today. No sign of a referral yet, and the Referral/Court Date page is looking pretty intimidating.
When is it ever going to be our turn?
Monday, May 11, 2009
Feeling Good, Feeling Fine
It's a weird feeling being atop the famous list. Frankly, I wasn't sure we would ever get there! It's a bit surreal.
To be honest, I was a little disappointed that we didn't get our referral before Mother's Day. I can clearly remember sitting in our Mother's Day service at church last year and thinking, This is going to be my last Mother's Day without a child. But it wasn't so.
I had a feeling when I woke up Friday that we wouldn't be getting our referral that day. And I was not looking forward to Mother's Day morning because I was anticipating what remarks I would get that would make me uncomfortable. There were definitely certain phrases I did NOT want to hear that day.
But I made it through.
On Mother's Day eve, I read the Bottomlys' book From Ashes to Africa in one sitting. I don't know how to put into words how much I loved it. I can only say that reading it was like a healing balm on my heart. It put everything in perspective.
I wanted to post on Mother's Day, but I can't really say what I wanted to any better than she did or she did. Read these and you'll know what was on my heart that day.
And I'm really feeling good this week! I've been able to focus on other things and not feel like I have to check the waiting list, my e-mail, or my cell phone every five minutes. I have peace in my heart.
I can't thank you all enough for praying for us. We can truly feel your prayers. Please continue to pray for us, because our world is about to be turned upside down!
We're also praying for speedy court dates and referrals all around. We can't wait to hear about all the good news ahead!!!
To be honest, I was a little disappointed that we didn't get our referral before Mother's Day. I can clearly remember sitting in our Mother's Day service at church last year and thinking, This is going to be my last Mother's Day without a child. But it wasn't so.
I had a feeling when I woke up Friday that we wouldn't be getting our referral that day. And I was not looking forward to Mother's Day morning because I was anticipating what remarks I would get that would make me uncomfortable. There were definitely certain phrases I did NOT want to hear that day.
But I made it through.
On Mother's Day eve, I read the Bottomlys' book From Ashes to Africa in one sitting. I don't know how to put into words how much I loved it. I can only say that reading it was like a healing balm on my heart. It put everything in perspective.
I wanted to post on Mother's Day, but I can't really say what I wanted to any better than she did or she did. Read these and you'll know what was on my heart that day.
And I'm really feeling good this week! I've been able to focus on other things and not feel like I have to check the waiting list, my e-mail, or my cell phone every five minutes. I have peace in my heart.
I can't thank you all enough for praying for us. We can truly feel your prayers. Please continue to pray for us, because our world is about to be turned upside down!
We're also praying for speedy court dates and referrals all around. We can't wait to hear about all the good news ahead!!!
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Yay for Emily!
Emily got her referral today!!!! I tend to use lots of exclamation points and smileys and caps in normal instances, so you can imagine what my response was when I heard the good news. I got a sneak peek at the 11.5-month-old cutie, and I've got to say, he may be the cutest kid I've ever seen. So happy for their family!!!
Now how in the world do I concentrate until our call comes? Emily, do you have any advice for me? :)
Here's praying I'm a mom by Mother's Day!!!!
Now how in the world do I concentrate until our call comes? Emily, do you have any advice for me? :)
Here's praying I'm a mom by Mother's Day!!!!
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Hoping April Showers Bring May Flowers
Well, here we sit at week 35-ish (not really sure/stopped counting) on the waiting list. I was sure April would be the month. So was our refrigerator calendar.
It was a difficult month, to say the least. I shed lots and lots of tears (April showers, ha ha). I had days when I secretly wished we hadn't decided to adopt because it's so hard. I've checked my cell phone, e-mails, the FBI list, and adoptive family blogs more times than should be allowed. There were days when I begged God that day would be the day. There were a few days that I prayed God wouldn't give us our referral that day because I was having such a bad day and didn't want to spoil our referral. Frankly, some days I was falling apart at the seams.
Despite those Debbie Downer paragraphs, I'm really hopeful about May. April referrals were slow as molasses (for you Southern readers), so if the pattern continues, we should have a bunch this month. And as excited as I am to get our referral, I think I'm just as excited to see my blog friends get their referrals. It gives me hope.
"Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!" ~Isaiah 30:18
Monday, April 27, 2009
Saturday, April 18, 2009
1 Year Later
One year ago today Dawn and I began our adoption process. Who knew that something could go by so fast and so slow at the same time. This has been an incredible journey for us. We have had many exciting moments as well as many frustrating moments. The timing of all this has been hard for us, thinking we would of already gone and picked up our son by now. However, as hard as this has been I know that God has a perfect plan for us. I know that our perfect boy will come in the time that God has planned for us.
I am so excited about the day we get the phone call so we can see our son for the first time through an email picture. I had no idea that I could love someone so much before I ever saw or meet him.
To my son to be: We can’t wait to see you and meet you. Your mom and I love you and pray for you daily. I know the wait is well worth it and you are going to be the most precious gift from God. Stay strong as you wait for us and know your mom and I wish we didn’t have to stay apart this long. We are coming to get you soon!
I am so excited about the day we get the phone call so we can see our son for the first time through an email picture. I had no idea that I could love someone so much before I ever saw or meet him.
To my son to be: We can’t wait to see you and meet you. Your mom and I love you and pray for you daily. I know the wait is well worth it and you are going to be the most precious gift from God. Stay strong as you wait for us and know your mom and I wish we didn’t have to stay apart this long. We are coming to get you soon!
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Rx for Adoption Brain
What is adoption brain?
Adoption brain is a condition in which one’s mental capacity is greatly decreased due to anticipation of an impending adoption.
What causes adoption brain?
Although onset varies from case to case, generally adoption brain sets in when a wait time has doubled from what was initially expected and is compounded when one nears the top of the wait list.
What are the symptoms of adoption brain?
The most pervasive symptom is the inability to concentrate on even the simplest of intellectual tasks, such as performing many functions of one’s job. Other symptoms manifest in various ways, ranging from insomnia to excessive sleeping, loss of appetite to ravenous appetite, fits of cleaning and slothfulness, incessant blog and FBI list stalking, and co-dependence upon other adoptive families.
How is it diagnosed?
A simple test is all that’s needed to diagnose this condition. Answer the following questions:
1. Who recently received a referral for an 8-month-old boy?
2. What is your number on the list?
3. What does FBI stand for?
If you can answer any of the above questions, you likely have adoption brain.
How is it treated?
Some studies have shown that receiving a referral helps alleviate the symptoms in some cases, while others who have received a referral report an increase in symptoms. The only known cure is a dose of reality upon placement.
Is anyone out there authorized to write me a prescription for my case of adoption brain? And is it catching? :)
Adoption brain is a condition in which one’s mental capacity is greatly decreased due to anticipation of an impending adoption.
What causes adoption brain?
Although onset varies from case to case, generally adoption brain sets in when a wait time has doubled from what was initially expected and is compounded when one nears the top of the wait list.
What are the symptoms of adoption brain?
The most pervasive symptom is the inability to concentrate on even the simplest of intellectual tasks, such as performing many functions of one’s job. Other symptoms manifest in various ways, ranging from insomnia to excessive sleeping, loss of appetite to ravenous appetite, fits of cleaning and slothfulness, incessant blog and FBI list stalking, and co-dependence upon other adoptive families.
How is it diagnosed?
A simple test is all that’s needed to diagnose this condition. Answer the following questions:
1. Who recently received a referral for an 8-month-old boy?
2. What is your number on the list?
3. What does FBI stand for?
If you can answer any of the above questions, you likely have adoption brain.
How is it treated?
Some studies have shown that receiving a referral helps alleviate the symptoms in some cases, while others who have received a referral report an increase in symptoms. The only known cure is a dose of reality upon placement.
Is anyone out there authorized to write me a prescription for my case of adoption brain? And is it catching? :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
