Preparations and a Baby Moon

We have been hard at work, making preparations for our little guy to come home soon. If you recall, here's the list of things that need to happen before IC can come to the US:

• pass court in Ethiopia

• wait for court decree

• translate court decree to English

• use court decree to get birth certificate

• use birth certificate to apply for passport

• get passport

• go to embassy medical appointment

• do final once-over of all immigration documents

• submit documents to embassy for approval

• wait for clearance email and set up flights and an interview date in Ethiopia

• hang out a few days in Ethiopia as they process IC's visa

• fly home with our cutie!!

So yes...we've knocked out "get passport" and "go to embassy medical appointment" this week. They've checked our documents. Now we're waiting to be submitted to the embassy. This can only happen on Wednesdays s we're just chilling for now. But still. We're getting closer to getting our little dude home!

In the meantime, we've had three major priorities:

1. See our friends since we'll be cocooning for a while after IC gets home.
2. Prepare IC's room and prep our house for our newest members.
3. Spend as much time as possible with each other, knowing our alone time is going to disappear for a long while. Very soon

We've gotten to see several friends, which has been a blessing. We're so thankful for friend who love us and have taken time this month to see us and encourage us as we wait for IC.
As far as room preparations go, we've been hard at work. Lots of sanding and painting and sanding. And things are finally coming together. Exhibit A...

Just a few more additions and we'll be ready. Curtains, knobs, and putting things in drawers. I am chomping at the bit to finish it up and make it look like someone really lives there. Because someone WILL live there. Soon!

But the BIG splurge-y fun we had was last weekend. My friend Jillian brought her son home last year. She messaged me when we got home from Ethiopia and highly encouraged us to get away. She said it was one of the best things she and her husband did and to just do it, even in the middle of the busy-ness and expense of adoption. So I asked E for permission to splurge and he allowed it. I booked one night in a bed and breakfast close to us. Close enough that we wouldn't travel much but far enough that we wouldn't be able to clean, sort, arrange, paint, plan, anything inside our home. 

We were so excited all week for our little "baby moon" as we dubbed it. Our anniversary is July 13 and we were pretty sure we wouldn't get to do something that day. Because in our hearts, we've always been sure we'd be in Africa then. So we just geared up for an early anniversary celebration. And then, a couple of friends and family sent us some notes that said they were in such support of our getaway they wanted to help make it possible. We felt so blessed to have people love us so much. And it made the getaway much more stress-free. Wow.

We arrived at the B and B Friday night and immediately life slowed down. We had a great dinner at a local winery and then went to a quaint little place for the most giant desserts I have ever experienced in my life.

The next morning we wandered the streets and went antiquing...And by antiquing I mean we just chilled and walked around and took pictures...

This guy is obsessed with taking pictures

We enjoyed some relaxing time over at the winery. It was such a beautiful day and we felt blessed with weather.

It was a beautiful town and a wonderful day. We just kept saying that even though we were so excited to have IC home, we just could not believe what a blessed weekend it was for the two of us.

We spent quite a while over a glass of wine talking about what our attachment and cocooning plan will be. I hope to share that with all of you soon so you can support us as we come home with IC.

We decided to take a moment at the end of our baby moon to get a little souvenir of sorts.

When we finally got the call for our son, I felt like I needed a physical representation of this journey. If I were to birth a child, the pregnancy and the labor and all of that work would culminate in a physical process. A process that changes your heart and mind and body forever. Not only do you also have a child out of the deal but you are forever changed.

In adoption, we also go through labor but the labor is emotional. And our hearts and our minds are changed forever. But my body? Well, I wanted a physical representation of the emotional labor of the last three years. A way that would alter me and remind me of the experience we've had.

And so E and I headed in to the tattoo parlor for our baby moon finale. I had shared with him what I wanted several months ago. And he agreed and said he wanted the same. We can't wait to have our little guy home. He's changed us already in ways I can't describe or explain. But now we have a physical representation of those changes as well. We'll never be the same and we'd never have it any other way.

I hope to update you with plans on our travels and cocooning plans soon. We are already packing so if you think you'd like to contribute to the orphanage donation piles, this week is the week to do it. Because we're leaving as soon as we can. AS SOON AS WE CAN! And until then, we're treasuring every moment.

Celebrating Six Years, Our Way

Last Saturday we were blessed to celebrate our sixth anniversary. And we celebrated the way most people we know do.  I mean, not at all. But whatever.

We started with a good 3 mile run. I mean, I am cleared to run now. I love to run. We like to run together. And so we did.

Once we finished our couples run (because everything sounds cooler and more romantic when you put 'couples' in front of it), we enjoyed some delicious orange rolls.  Because if you can't enjoy orange rolls after a run, when can you enjoy orange rolls?




Then, we high-tailed it in to my office. We have better reception there after all.  And we needed the reception for the conference call with our social worker.

What's that? I didn't tell you we were meeting with our social worker?

Well, we were.  You see, a lot has happened in our little lives in the past few months. And before all that happened, we felt God was telling us we needed to open our options a little more.  So, well, we prayed about it.  And finally, it was time to act.

After a brief but information-filled call with our social worker (who literally knows more about us at this point than anyone else in the whole world) we officially changed our request as of Monday.  Yes.  So what is our request?

EITHER GENDER (yup!!) age 0-5 or siblings (say what!?) ages 0-7. And we are prayerfully considering opening our one child request up to age seven as well.

What? Age seven? And we could have two kids? Yes.

But...you may be saying, "You don't have any kids! Are you sure you know how to parent a seven year old?"

Nope! But here's the thing: we don't know how to parent an infant either! We've never been parents. So we are hopeful that God will provide mentors and information for us no matter what age he places with us. It's all we'll ever have known anyway.

Yes, we've read. We've researched. We sent out TONS of questionnaires and asked families with adopted kids lots of questions. And we've prayed about it. And that's really all we can do!

So what does this mean for our time frame?

Well the short answer is we don't know. But it could speed it up. Way up. It all depends. And so we will be kicking it into support-mode, overdrive. Be checking the blog soon (very soon) for information on how you can get in on this action.

So, by noon, we had changed our lives forever (we think) and we headed home.

To move our entire living room.

Because nothing says, "I cherish our time together" like working together to recreate a living space. It took us all day.  And at one point we contemplated moving every item back to where it started. But we finally finished with this:




Romantic, isn't it?  Yes, that is a halo on E's head. He dealt well with my indecisiveness.

Once we finished moving things, we had just enough time to wash the stink off before we went downtown to celebrate six years in high style. We went with Pete and Cay to see "Much Ado About Nothing" (I am a big fan) and then used a gift card to enjoy dinner at one of our favorite restaurants.

Aren't we cute? Check out how we are both wearing yellow.  Because after six years, you match. And you don't care anymore.

So yes, our weekend was exciting if not conventional. Happy Six to Us!!

Four

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Four years ago, I married my sweet husband.  Who knew we'd be where we are today?  We definitely didn't plan on living where we do or adopting a child when we said "I do." What a blessing that God knew all of these things already.


















We're celebrating tonight with dinner alone, away from dishes and puppies, paperwork and electronic devices.  We celebrated this morning by putting new windshield wipers on my car. Because nothing says love like car parts.

So yes, we're off to celebrate.  And thanks, Jaime, for the photos! My sorority did a free photo shoot for alums. I couldn't have imagined how great these would be! Jaime, you have a true talent!