Our 3 Continent Family!

FOR SALE

2011-05-02T07:53:00.001-07:00

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220778122779

TEST

2011-04-24T07:56:00.001-07:00

Chincoteague Island: Home of the wild Ponies!

2010-08-01T13:05:00.001-07:00

Click here to view this photo book larger

VACATION

2010-07-09T16:38:00.000-07:00

Our 1st true Vacation since we stated the adoption of our 3 children, For over 7 yrs, every extra dollar was put towards fees, applications and renewals, it was all worth it, now time to relax from the "paperchase" and reap the rewards of the long long waits! Just Chilling! Lately I have been more of a facebook person, email me if you want an invite. I am here to support all the adoptive families that are waiting, It is worth every second of anxiety!

I Got the Bands, if your looking I am selling!

2010-06-15T19:35:00.000-07:00

What do you do when things happen out of your control?

2010-04-16T09:14:00.000-07:00

In life every single person is given a cross. Some are large, some small, some grow as we live and mature, some fade as we live and mature. However what do you do when the cross is so heavy? Lay it down and walk away? Try harder, pick it up and continue, continue to the end? What did Jesus do? A cross has been placed in your hands, an opportunity that you choose to see or walk away from. Then others pray they are never given chances have they ever opened up their eyes to the crosses that are placed in their hand?

Very Very SAD....

2010-04-15T11:20:00.000-07:00

Having lived thru one adoption lasting over 3 yrs only for it to end with the country of Vietnam shutting down. I can truly feel for the 3000 plus families and orphans that are now at the mercy of the Russian and USA government's. I fought tooth and nail to get Senators, Congressmen, involved to just push thru some type of agreement, two yrs later still no agreement and US citizens can not adopt from Vietnam, keep in mind some of those families had photos of the children they were going to bring home. Many families and orphans still wait. My advise for families is, grieve then move onto the next option, when one door closes a window opens. We are proof of this and now have a beautiful little girl from Ethiopia, it all worked according to His plan.

There has been great outrage, anger, blame and finger pointing over the disrupted adoption of a 7-year-old Russian child and his abrupt return to Russia over this last week. Today it has been announced that Russia will suspend adoptions to the USA. During this time, I have wondered, "where is the outrage for the thousands of children who are housed in hopeless institutions with minimal care and daily abuse from the other children?"

The exact conditions that may have traumatized this young child and greatly contributed to this situation, are barely mentioned. No one absolves the mother.She had options and chose to do something outrageous and selfish. But her actions are only one part of this. The unspoken rule is that those of us who work to find homes for these children must never, never criticize the governments that allow these wretched institutions to continue. Adoptive parents must be grateful...and silent, to insure that international adoption continues, and a few lucky children find peace in a family of their own. Volunteers must quietly work to make changes in the orphanages, for fear of offending those in power. Yes, this story makes me very upset, and sad for all of the children who will now continue to suffer. And for the families who have waited, longingly, to give their love to these children.

And now we wait, with our only hope once again in the hands of government policy makers. I suggest that the meeting scheduled for the 20th take place in the largest, most rural orphanage that can be found in Russia. Let our governments meet, and come to their decision, surrounded by the children's lives and futures that hang in the balance. --Martha Osborne

*Footnote, 80% of orphan girls will end up in prostitution and the boys will end up in jail.

Call to Action

2010-04-12T19:36:00.000-07:00

Please sign the petition to help Americans with adopting in Russia, One adoptive mothers poor judgement is placing many other adoptive parents in the Russia program at risk of delays, shutdowns ect. Please remember each of us that have already adopted, had many little angles behind us, you may not know who they were, but now is your time for paying it forward. thanks Kim

Very Sweet Vintage Bunnies!

2010-04-09T05:34:00.000-07:00

A treasurer I found, Wilton Bunny Family cake toppers, very rare, normally you can only find the mommy. Currently someone is only bidding .99 cents, they are worth so much more. If you are instered please take a look and bid, you never know.

thanks Kim

Sweet Little Bunny Family

2010-04-09T04:44:00.000-07:00

Someone is going to get a steal on this bunny family. Very Vintage from the Wilton Collection. Please ck it out! Thanks.

Vintage Real hand colored photo Unique setting! Easter?

2010-03-25T07:37:00.000-07:00

This antique photo is so very cute, I love the toy horse, and the little girls with big bows. I am sure someone will enjoy it very much, what a neat Easter gift, just put it in a frame!

All Done!

2010-03-22T14:05:00.000-07:00

We have paid all the fees to our social worker, all our reports are now done! From now on we are only required to do an annual report until she is 18. Big sister is reading above her grade level and Big brother just started reading Hop on Pop! He is catching on. I have been trying to get some action on Ebay, we have not added to the kids 529 plan in a while, thats been on my mind, and time flys so quickly. We work real hard with reading and math, hoping that the kids will earn good grades. Maria did a wonderful display of the Black Widow for the schools learning fair, there was not many kids of her age there, most here middle school or High School. So we are happy she had pride in a job well done.

My Ebay,

2010-03-14T17:24:00.000-07:00

I have really been enjoying Ebay, it makes me feel somewhat productive, along with being a mom, I like to get a little money comming in. Please check out all my auctions, I have some real neat Vintage Photos up for auction. Thanks Kim

Looks Who's 3

2010-03-12T06:44:00.001-08:00

One of the best purchases I have made is my cupcake tree, it has come in handy so many times, truly a must have for every mom!

Just having Fun

2010-03-05T06:06:00.000-08:00

Mommy Playing with beads....

2010-03-03T18:57:00.000-08:00

She actually enjoyed it, I just twisted sections, not to thin, and slipped the beads on. When her hair dried and got a little thicker the beads stayed in. On some of the smaller twists I tied the last bead with a little thread. Still learning, I also did not load her hair....that would of been too much sitting and work, specially if she pulled them out, or had trouble sleeping with them. The back of her head, I just put two little braids, so she would have some relief if she did not like sleeping on the beads. We are on day 2, they are still in!

Snow Fun

2010-02-26T13:59:00.000-08:00

Happy CNY & New Pets!

2010-02-15T08:50:00.000-08:00

2010-02-12T17:26:00.000-08:00

The Olympic rings: black, blue, red, green, yellow circled together. The iconic image.
In 1913 Pierre de Coubertin created the interlocking rings to unify the five continents of the world.

USA Flag-Getting Ready for the Winter Games!

2010-02-12T16:04:00.001-08:00

The flag of the United States of America consists of 13 red, horizontal stripes, all of which are equal in width. In the upper left hand of the flag is a blue rectangle, which consists of 50 small, white, stars (five pointed stars). These stars are arranged in nine horizontal rows, which alternate between 5 stars and 6 stars per row. The rows are offset, as clearly visible when looking at the flag. The 50 stars represent the 50 states in the US. The flag only consisted of 48 stars until Alaska and Hawaii were added as states. The 13 red and white stripes represent the original Thirteen Colonies, which is known as Old Glory. The colors of the American flag have been used as a base for many other countries flags which include Chile, Malaysia, and Puerto Rico.

Ethiopian Flag Meaning:
The colored stripes on the Ethiopian flag are significant - the red stripe stands for power, faith and blood; the yellow symbolizes the church, peace, natural wealth and love; and the green represents the land and hope. The colors were also interpreted to have a connection to the Holy Trinity, and the three main provinces of Ethiopia. The star represents unity of the people and the races that make up Ethiopia. The five rays on the outside of the star represent prosperity and the blue disk represents peace.

Ethiopian Flag History:
The Ethiopian flag was adopted on February 6, 1996, making it one of the world's newest flags. The Ethiopian colors date from the 1890s, when forces loyal to the emperor are believed to have flown pennants of green, yellow and red as they fought against Italian forces. The first Ethiopian flag using these same colors was adopted in 1897.

Interesting Estonian Flag Facts:
Ethiopia is credited with establishing the green, yellow and red colors that have come to symbolize African independence and unity. Ethiopia is the oldest independent African state. The colors became known as Pan African colors. Sometimes black is added to these colors to represent the African people.

Chinese Flag Meaning:
There a conflicting opinions over the meaning of the Chinese flag. One side states that the red color in China's flag symbolizes the revolution and the fact that the political power of China was achieved through the bloodshed of revolutionary martyrs who fought heroic struggles for the revolution. The big star is said to represent the Communist Party of China; while the four smaller stars are said to represent all of the ethnic groups that make up China. Much can be read into the fact that one point of the flag's big star points up the flag; while each of the smaller stars has a point aiming towards the centre of the big star. This is believed to signify that the Communist Party is the force at the core of the leadership of all Chinese people. The stars are yellow as an indication that the cause of socialism has a bright future in China.

Chinese Flag History:
The Chinese flag was adopted on October 1, 1949 after the Chinese Civil War. It was designed by Zeng Liansong, an economist and talented artist. His work was one of more than 3,000 plus entries received for a Chinese flag design competition. The design underwent a few changes and was finally approved by the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference on September 27, 1949. Originally the flag was to feature either a hammer and sickle in the largest star, or several horizontal lines below the stars.

Interesting Chinese Flag Facts:
In 1999, to celebrate communist China's 50th anniversary, neighborhood committees, the communist government's local enforcers, ordered residents to display Chinese flags. Any household with a Chinese flag that was too old or shabby had to pay three dollars for a new one.

Carol's Daughter: Africian Hair Care

2010-02-01T18:34:00.000-08:00

Is now available at my Lemonade Stand, this company offers everything you need for a beautiful head of hair. Highly rated in salons and by mommies of Africian Children. It is listed as item #2&3 at my stand, please check it out. My stand has it on discount.

recent reviews:
- 01.29.10
Quick Take: easy to use
I love this oil. It is very lightwieght, smells great and actually does what it is supposed to do. This was my second bottle of this and I have to say it is a keeper. I use it on my 4 and 10 yr old daughters also.

Hair Condition
Dry

Overall Rating (5 out of 5 ) Good Stuff
- 01.11.10
Quick Take: easy to use
This is good oil, a little expensive but worth it and using only a little at a time you definitely get your $$ worth! It moisturizes well and the smell is wonderful.

Please help our Adoption Agency in Haiti

2010-01-31T16:52:00.000-08:00

*Mud Cookies made of fat,salt and dirt, dried in the sun, made to fill the belly.

The situation in Haiti is horrific. People are scared, hungry, traumatized, and many people are injured. Can you imagine being an orphan in Haiti? Being alone in the mist of this crisis? What if you were newly orphaned, as so many children certainly will be? The needs in Haiti are overwhelming and the crisis is dire but, as always, Adoption ARK clients and parents have stepped up to offer support.

Adoption ARK has partnered with the Child of the Promise Care Center in Haiti to get help to orphans. There are several ways to participate:

Provide Supplies
As you can imagine, in the aftermath of this crisis, supplies are hard to purchase in Haiti. Adoption ARK has set-up a page on our bookstore where you can purchase supplies, in bulk, and have them mailed directly to Child of the Promise. Our bookstore is hosted through Amazon so it is secure and reliable. All you need to do is enter the shipping address for Child of the Promise and enter your credit card information. It couldn’t be easier!

1.Simply go to the Adoption ARK-Amazon Bookstore at http://astore.amazon.com/specialneedsa-20?_encoding=UTF8&node=17,
2.Add the items you wish to donate to the shopping cart.
3.At checkout, change the “Ship To” address to:
Agape Flights CAP11952 attn: AAHR, Bud and Jan Bonnema
100 Airport Avenue East
Venice, FL 34285
4.Continue checkout by entering your payment method.
Everything donated will be shipped to Haiti through Agape Flights.
Provide Monetary Support
Monetary donations are desperately needed to help cover shipping cost and to obtain supplies that are in need within Haiti. You can donate through Adoption ARK at pag195.aspx

or you can mail your donation to:
Children of the Promise
Attn. Sue DeGroot
PO Box 97
Prinsburg, MN 56281

Please help. The orphaned children of Haiti are in need of this help and are waiting.

Sincerely,
The Team at Adoption ARK

On my potty...

2010-01-11T06:41:00.000-08:00

I have used this video/book for all three of our kids, its wonderful. The only thing we do different is have a little stool by the big potty, that way we do not have to clean a potty chair. As long as the childs feet is resting on the stool they will feel secure. You can also purchase a small toilet ring that fits over the adult seat. They have versions for both boy or girl. If you do not have the money to purchase one, check you local library, We did not buy one, just borrow it from the library. You child will LOVE it. Carmen has the #2 pretty much mastered, she still pees in her pants, maybe lazy or not sure if she makes it in time. I do not ask her if she has to go. OH....and always let them flush, thats the reward!

Wild Turkeys...

2010-01-08T13:24:00.000-08:00

For the past 3 days we have been entertained by at least 20 or so wild turkeys going from row to row thru the apple orchard. They are sooo big, Almost bigger than a Turkey Vulture. My BIL wants to get close enough to "catch" one. (He grew up in Brooklyn) need I say more. If he does "catch" one, the deal is I will cook it for him.

Snow Snow Snow

2010-01-05T09:56:00.001-08:00

1st real Snow of this season!

2010-01-03T10:31:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year 2010

2010-01-01T06:32:00.000-08:00

A News Years Chinese tradition is all the kids get a hair cut to "cut off the old year" Leave it behind and start fresh. Also new outfits are purchased. Our version is mom trims the childrens hair and gets deep discount PJ"s after Christmas to celebrate New Years. You also clean the home before new years day, sweep the floor getting rid of the old year. While most of the kids did not make it to midnight, that was fixed with just setting our clock to 12am, the actual photo was taken at 10:30! We had wonderful rich foods at my Aunt Mo's home, they say the way you eat on New Years sets the tone for whats to come.

Christmas 2009, Carmens 1st Christmas Home

2009-12-25T19:31:00.000-08:00

Party Time

2009-12-20T18:59:00.001-08:00

The 12 Days of Christmas

2009-12-16T18:47:00.001-08:00

The Origin of the Twelve Days of Christmas
You're all familiar with the Christmas song, "The Twelve Days of Christmas" I think. To most it's a delightful nonsense rhyme set to music. But it had a quite serious purpose when it was written.

It is a good deal more than just a repetitious melody with pretty phrases and a list of strange gifts.

Catholics in England during the period 1558 to 1829, when Parliament finally emancipated Catholics in England, were prohibited from ANY practice of their faith by law - private OR public. It was a crime to BE a Catholic.

"The Twelve Days of Christmas" was written in England as one of the "catechism songs" to help young Catholics learn the tenets of their faith - a memory aid, when to be caught with anything in *writing* indicating adherence to the Catholic faith could not only get you imprisoned, it could get you hanged, or shortened by a head - or hanged, drawn and quartered, a rather peculiar and ghastly punishment I'm not aware was ever practiced anywhere else. Hanging, drawing and quartering involved hanging a person by the neck until they had almost, but not quite, suffocated to death; then the party was taken down from the gallows, and disembowelled while still alive; and while the entrails were still lying on the street, where the executioners stomped all over them, the victim was tied to four large farm horses, and literally torn into five parts - one to each limb and the remaining torso.

The songs gifts are hidden meanings to the teachings of the faith. The "true love" mentioned in the song doesn't refer to an earthly suitor, it refers to God Himself. The "me" who receives the presents refers to every baptized person. The partridge in a pear tree is Jesus Christ, the Son of God. In the song, Christ is symbolically presented as a mother partridge which feigns injury to decoy predators from her helpless nestlings, much in memory of the expression of Christ's sadness over the fate of Jerusalem: "Jerusalem! Jerusalem! How often would I have sheltered thee under my wings, as a hen does her chicks, but thou wouldst not have it so..."

The other symbols mean the following:

2 Turtle Doves = The Old and New Testaments
3 French Hens = Faith, Hope and Charity, the Theological Virtues
4 Calling Birds = the Four Gospels and/or the Four Evangelists
5 Golden Rings = The first Five Books of the Old Testament, the "Pentateuch", which gives the history of man's fall from grace.
6 Geese A-laying = the six days of creation
7 Swans A-swimming = the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, the seven sacraments
8 Maids A-milking = the eight beatitudes
9 Ladies Dancing = the nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit
10 Lords A-leaping = the ten commandments
11 Pipers Piping = the eleven faithful apostles
12 Drummers Drumming = the twelve points of doctrine in the Apostle's Creed

The Day I became an American

2009-12-03T13:38:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the newest Americian Citizen!

2009-12-03T12:14:00.000-08:00

It feels like a dream, everything happened so fast...sign this paper and your daughter is an American, check to make sure her name is correct. Everything was in order no issues, the judge was friendly the attorney was wonderful. We truly had no worries. Carmen should be getting her SS# in the next few days. The court gave us back all the orginals so we went right over to the SS office and got things rolling.

Dec 2nd Finalize the Adoption in USA court!

2009-12-01T17:11:00.000-08:00

I have our special outfits all laid out. Kids have been showered. Kids are all in bed, all is quiet. Just think our court case was entered into the log in Ethiopia 12/24/08. We started this journey to our daughter Sep 2008. I love to take photos, however that means I am not in many of them. SO...the owner of the local newspaper assigned our story to one of her writers. He will photo-journal Carmens special day. I am truly thankful for this kind act. If time permits and we have all the documents back from our attorney I hope to shoot over to Social Security and get that number ordered. wish us luck!

Happy Thanksgiving 2009

2009-11-28T14:13:00.000-08:00

Turkey Time

2009-11-25T13:29:00.000-08:00

Don't screw up the bird.

You should bake it 15 minutes for each pound at 325° AND you want to cook a turkey as fast as you can to minimize juice loss so you should NOT stuff the bird...this slows the cooking time. Your turkey's done when an instant-read thermometer (not a pop-up) inserted near the thigh reads 165 degrees F.

So a 13lbs Turkey will take 3-3.25 hrs, let it rest for 20min before serving. I enjoy using a roasting bag with marinade poured in the bag, I normally use teriki flavor and stuff an onion, carrot, celery and apple into the bird, makes the gravy tasty. When making the gravy get a tall glass of hot water and mix 2-3 tbs of flour (so it looks like milk) to the juice's on the stove, keep stirring, when almost done add some leftover morning coffee to the gravy for flavor and rich color.

Durning your adoption wait.....

2009-11-23T08:14:00.000-08:00

We Can Make Our Plans,
But The Lord Determines Our Steps.
Proverbs 16:9

Mile Stones

2009-11-18T08:39:00.000-08:00

Re-adoption court date 12/2! Will be there with camera in hand.
Potty Training (basically #2 only) but thats a great start.
Ears Pierced..ouch, but I look so pretty.
Michael Graduates his 3yr speach therapy! Way to GO!
Pinewood derby cars ready to RACE.....

Our 3 SHARK FIGHTERS

2009-11-15T19:57:00.000-08:00

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Good News

2009-11-07T18:22:00.000-08:00

A letter from the County arrived today. "The investigation report for the adoption of your child has been completed and submitted to Surrogate's Court. Please contact your attorney for the date of finalization. !!!!!!!! Hopefully Carmen will be a US citizen before the end of the year. What a great way to end 2009. I will keep you posted.

Fairy Tale Ball

2009-11-06T19:31:00.001-08:00

Time for some style!

2009-11-04T17:33:00.000-08:00

Happy Halloween

2009-10-31T20:11:00.000-07:00

The Monster Mash....

2009-10-29T17:15:00.000-07:00

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Fall Birthdays are the best!

2009-10-27T09:47:00.000-07:00

2009-10-24T11:42:00.000-07:00

In general I do not care for school photos. My kids do not react well to a stranger saying smile and all the fussing involved. I think they are very expensive and not very good quality. I did a photo soot for the kids "official" yearly photo today, M turned 7 yesterday and it was a very colorful day outside. Under certain photos are letters or numbers, if you wish to vote on your favorite that would help alot. I can not order every single print. I would like one nice one of each child for the grandparents and a few wallets for the uncles. ect..so help me out. take care Kim

Wedding Bells

2009-10-18T14:08:00.001-07:00

Sweedish Apple Pie

2009-10-10T17:36:00.000-07:00

We taught Aunt Mo how to make a new pie recipe today. Our only BIG issue, the pies were about 80% done cooking and the juices started making so much smoke in the house that we had to open up all the windows and doors and finish baking the pies at my neighbors. So basically her house now smells all appley and nice, while our home stinks of smoke and burnt butter! Regardless the end results were delicious.

1. Fill pie tin with apple slices, sprinkle 1.5 TBS cinnamon, 1TBS of sugar, 1TBS Lemon juice,1/2 teas nutmeg

2. In a large bowl combine (*NOT BEAT) 3/4 cup melted Butter, 1 Cup sugar, 1 Cup Flour, 1 LG egg, 1/4 teas salt then pour the mixture over the cut up apples and bake for 350 degrees for about 45 min, the top must look Golden Brown not like raw batter. Let it stand for 10 min and then serve. YUM YUM with out the mess of rolling out the dough!

2009-10-10T17:33:00.001-07:00

Trick or Treat

2009-10-08T08:15:00.000-07:00

Harvest Time

2009-10-05T11:39:00.000-07:00

Ethiopia Gears up For Malaria Outbreak

2009-10-03T13:32:00.000-07:00

Ethiopia is stockpiling medicine to counter an expected surge in malaria cases due to hotter weather.(AFP/Getty … Sat Oct 3, 8:00 am ET
ADDIS ABABA (AFP) – Ethiopia is stockpiling medicine to counter an expected surge in malaria cases due to hotter weather, its health ministry said on Saturday.

In a statement, Kesetebirhan Admasu, head of the disease prevention directorate, said the El Nino effect would raise temperatures, reduce rain and generally aggravate conditions for the spread of malaria.

In response to the threat, he said, "there is sufficient medicine in store that could treat 12 million people," for which 12.6 million birr (685,000 euros, one million dollars) has been spent.

The government has already purchased malaria diagnosis kits and medicines, insecticides and spraying equipment, and plans to distribute 13 million mosquito nets, he added.

Good Hair

2009-10-03T06:13:00.001-07:00

4.4 million-year-old hominid skeleton 'Ardi' discovered in Ethiopia

2009-10-01T14:23:00.000-07:00

The fossil, known as 'Ardi', is the oldest specimen on the hominid branch that led to modern humans yet unearthed
Hannah Devlin 5 Comments
Recommend? (5) The discovery of a 4.4 million-year-old skeleton in Ethiopia has allowed scientists to retrace the first evolutionary steps of our ancestors after they split away from those of modern chimpanzees.

The fossil reveals our earliest predecessor to have been a stocky, stooping creature, covered in hair, with a protruding face, long arms and a grasping big toe.

The fossil, known as “Ardi”, is the oldest specimen on the “hominid” branch that led to modern humans yet unearthed. It is more than 1 million years older than the famous “Lucy” skeleton.

Quoting Charles Darwin, Dr Tim White, the paleoanthropologist who led the original “Lucy” investigation, said: “The only way we’re really going to know what this last common ancestor looked like is to go and find it.”

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At 4.4 million years old, the Ardi fossil is the closest specimen yet to that common ancestor. It possesses a strange mosaic of human and chimpanzee traits, combined in ways that scientists say they would never have been able to guess by simply triangulating between the modern versions of the two species.

Ardi has a relatively small skull, suggesting a comparable level of intellect to modern chimps. The angle of her head relative to her spine shows that she would have been able to walk upright in a stooped posture. However, she retains the “grasping” big toe of our more primitive ancestors, as well as long arms and big hands, which point to her being an able climber. Unlike chimpanzees and orangutans, though, she would not have been able to swing through the trees.

The almost complete skeleton of Ardipithecus ramidus was scattered in hundreds of pieces in volcanic ash in Afar, which lies in the Great Rift Valley in northeastern Ethiopia.

The skeleton was excavated bone by bone by Ethiopian and American scientists between 1994 and 1996.

It has taken almost 15 years for scientists to piece together and analyse the specimen. In 11 separate articles published tomorrow in the journal Science, a team of 47 scientists describe and interpret in exquisite detail the skeleton and its implications for our understanding of where we come from.

The fossil has prompted scientists to recast their thinking on the evolution of chimpanzees. The assumption of many had been that chimpanzees had undergone much less evolution than the human line. “A lot of people predicted that when you found something at 4.4 million years ago, it would look like a chimp,” said Dr White.

However, “Ardi” suggests that our last common ancestor was as remote from chimpanzees as it was from humans.

Lesson Learned....

2009-09-25T08:34:00.000-07:00

I will tell you from experience, if you are suffering with depression, anxiety or just not "feeling it" DO NOT let your primary care Dr, or OBGYN try to treat you. This is NOT their speciality. For the last 2 months I allowed Primary, OBGYN, Emergency room to help relieve my suffering. They messed me up more than necessary. They just threw pills at me so they could get onto the next patient. On top of this they double dosed me under different name drugs, under dosed me while dealing with crisis conditions. Just "say NO", find your self a recommended Psychiatrist you feel safe and comfortable with, I would not go to a county run center, no offense, but you need to be treated like a person and not a number. Needless to say I am seeing the light of day and feeling somewhat better. The average time is normally 4-6 weeks,to get full relief but at least this is a positive vs what I have been wading thur.

Its not all good.

2009-09-12T11:51:00.000-07:00

I have been debating for a few days on to post this or not, I feel the post will benefit many, specially new families so they know they are not alone. I am doing better, We meet with a counciler one time a week, (not sure on my take on her yet), but at least we are taking the efforts. While this is our 3rd adoption, I have never sunk so low, emotionally, physically,medically ect, I am on an upswing so please no worries. I have three doctors now, hopefully a mothers helper a few days a week until I can get back to my old self! When I did mention PAD (post adoption depression) the one Dr. said "well you did not give brith" so you can see where I am going with this. He clearly did not know our 3 yr history with this last adoption. Anyway, here is the article.

Post Adoption Depression - The Unacknowledged Hazard
By: Harriet White McCarthy Date posted:

Post Delivery Depression, long recognized as an expected part of normal pregnancy and delivery is an issue that is openly discussed and well understood by the medical community and the public. Estimates vary, but between fifty to eighty percent of mothers who have given birth will experience the mildest form of PDD called "The Baby Blues" according to Depression After Delivery, Inc. Of those, approximately ten percent will suffer a more serious form of Postpartum Depression which is of longer duration and has more symptoms. The cause of both these manifestations is attributed to hormone changes and imbalances. Families, physicians, and caretakers are alert for symptoms and offer unconditional support to new mothers during this usually brief crisis.

The public and medical attitudes toward PDD are a far cry from the silence and secrecy that surround a much more pervasive problem - Post Adoption Depression Syndrome (PADS) which is a term coined by June Bond in her Spring 1995 article for Roots and Wings Magazine. For those of us who are part of the International Adoption Community, in particular parents of orphanage children, we have the added complication of adopting children who are almost always older than newborns and have been in an institutional setting. In many cases, our new children are toddlers to school-aged, and their histories and language issues add an extra dimension to the possibility of their new adoptive mothers developing PADS.

Over the past seven years, I have been intimately connected to the international adoption community as adoptive mother to three older Russian boys, as a member of the Eastern European Adoption Coalition (EEAC), as Co-Owner and moderator for the Parent Education and Preparedness List at www.eeadopt.org, and as founder and Co-Chair of Piedmont Families Through International Adoption. Post Adoption Depression has been a recurrent and persistent issue in all my support experience. In the Fall of 1999, with the help of the EEAC which made our questionnaire available on-line, I launched a survey to see just how prevalent an issue PADS really is. The results were troubling. Our survey was accessible by members of the AParentRuss-List and the PEP-List whose combined membership now tops 3,100. Non-sufferers of Post Adoption Depression were especially encouraged to answer the survey. Of the 145 parents who responded, over 65% said they experienced Post Adoption Depression, yet only 8 people reported they had been advised by their social workers or agencies that this syndrome even existed. Preparation by those agencies would have been helpful, according to 61% of all respondents, sufferers and non-sufferers.

Why does PADS exist among the adoption community in such high numbers? There are a host of very concrete and understandable reasons. Most newly adoptive parents have spent literally years struggling to get to the point of having a child to parent. Their protracted and unfulfilled hopes, dreams, and longing may cause unrealistic expectations about exactly what it will be like to be a parent, and they are unprepared for the grief they feel when reality confronts the child of their imaginations. New parents may feel guilty about their feelings of ambivalence, resentment, or anger toward their new child. The belief in instant bonding or "love at first sight" is often an unrealistic one. Falling in love with a child is much like falling in love with a future mate -initial infatuation and euphoria give way to the lengthy and often difficult process of adjusting to the day to day presence of another human being. It often takes from two to six months for a real sense of attachment to blossom according to many of the posts of families who belong to EEAC. Being unprepared and unsupported, new adoptive mothers who become depressed often try to "tough it out" without asking for any help whatsoever. Many mothers worry that if they advise their agency or social worker (the ones they have spent months or years convincing of their superior parenting skills) that they are experiencing difficulty, those same agencies and social workers will think of them as unfit parents and, in the worst case scenario, remove the new child from their care. Consequently, a bad situation becomes worse because of lack of understanding and support. First line extended family support available to new birth mothers (and fathers) is often totally missing for adoptive parents. In many cases, after enduring years of disappointment with infertility, family members don't understand why the new mother isn't completely happy and content now that she finally has what she's wanted for so long. Rather than disappoint and confound her family, many new adoptive moms simply suffer in silence, filled with shame and guilt, feeling themselves imperfect or selfish.

Our survey didn't ask for gender specifics from our respondents, but we assume that most of the questionnaires were from women. An unknown but very important issue is Post Adoptive Depression in new fathers. Stress plays a major role in what we suppose to be an equally prevalent issue. New adoptive fathers are usually the ones to return to work sooner, and they have the added issue of juggling job and new fatherhood simultaneously.

While all of the above issues pertain to all adoptive parenting, our international community has additional components which load the deck. In almost no case are we adopting newborns. Among other things, we deal with grief over the loss of unknown histories and missed bonding opportunities. We see our children for a very brief time before the adoption is finalized and we often "discover" disturbing surprises about our children's backgrounds after the fact. Our older children come equipped with distinct personalities, some of which meld smoothly into our families, others of which are a jarring and daily reminder of our differences. We adopt children who have experienced an almost unimaginable amount of loss. We adopt children who have suffered the effects of institutionalism, hospitalism, and global neglect. We often adopt children with hidden academic, emotional, neurological and medical needs. Frequently, newly adopted children attach themselves to only one of the two parents, leaving the other parent saddened and disappointed. Add to all that the stress of out-of-country travel, jet lag, communication difficulties with our older kids and foreign country hosts, sleep depravation, and cultural shock. Our decks come loaded with the potential for frustration, powerlessness, and worry - a perfect prescription for the onset of depression.

When I reviewed the data concerning the length of time adoptive parents suffered from PAD, a very disturbing picture emerged. While most post delivery "Baby Blues" are of very short duration (less than two weeks), 77% of survey participants with PAD reported that they suffered their symptoms from two months to over one year with 45% suffering for six months or more. 85% of sufferers reported that their depression affected their health in some way (serious weight gain/loss was followed by sleep disturbances and headaches), 70% felt that PADS had interfered with smooth transitions and bonding with their new children. Clearly, Post Adoption Depression is a significant, multi-faceted issue that needs to be acknowledged, better understood, and unconditionally counseled and supported by the entire adoption community!

How To Weather The Storm
Knowing that the probability of having PADS is significant will give you a chance to prepare in the event that you are among the majority who suffer with this syndrome. Preparation might include discussing the possibility with your primary care provider as well as your child's future pediatrician. Make sure your agency is aware of the PADS and that they understand the dynamics and prevalence of this issue. They should be prepared to support your need to locate help and/or services should you need them. If you have previously suffered from depression in your life, you are at greater risk. Make sure your mental health care provider is standing by in the event that you need support with medication and counseling. Alert and educate your family and spouse. Explain that you may all need extra emotional support the same way new birth families do.

Dr. Bill and Martha Sears, The Baby Book lists several excellent suggestions for the Postpartum family which are equally relevant to Postadoptive families. When you finally arrive home from your international trip with your new child(ren), make sure that you have sufficient "nesting" time. Without guilt, hold visitors at bay for a few weeks. The exception to this rule would be the one designated family member or close friend who can provide domestic help and support in order to give time for the new nuclear family to learn about each other and start the bonding process. Before you travel, investigate your company's adoption benefits and maternity leave policy. Take the maximum allowable time before trying to go back to work. Be sure to get plenty of sleep and exercise. Fresh air and a brisk walk do wonders to mitigate mild depression. Taking a child for a walk is one of life's greatest inexpensive pleasures - fun for you, fun for your child, good for bonding. If you are single or if your spouse is unavailable to provide child care while you rest, arrange for a sitter who can come in while you nap, run errands, or simply take care of personal grooming.

New competence as a parent often means a deterioration of competence in other areas of your life. Don't allow yourself to feel guilty about less than perfect housework or a reluctance to cook your usual gourmet fare. Plan to put most of your life "on hold" while you settle in those first several weeks. If you know letting things go might drive you mad with anxiety, have alternate plans in place for others to take over for you with housework or chores. Have a store of good frozen foods on hand to help with meal preparation.

If you are married, one of the most profound changes that comes with parenting is the change in your relationship with your spouse. Prepare for that change and mitigate the negative impact by setting aside some special times for the two of you to be together without the new child. This is a vital part of successful parenting - important to both of you, but also important in the message it sends to your child. Your strong, dependable relationship with one another is one of the greatest gifts you provide to your new child. If you are fortunate enough to have a secure and happy marriage prior to adoption, spend the effort it takes to nurture and sustain it.

Preparation for PADS is the key to surviving it and shortening its duration. Accept the fact that adoption carries some risk. Expect surprises, frustrations, and setbacks with your new child as part of international adoption. Celebrate if there are none! Before your child comes home, take as many parenting classes as you can. Expect to be a therapeutic parent. Bonding and attachment are slow processes. Learn to be patient and give yourself and your child the one-on-one time required for attachment and bonding to grow. Your adoption journey doesn't stop the day you bring your child home. That day is really only a beginning. Plan for the continuation of your pre-adoption emotional roller coaster ride for at least the first year. If you have adopted a severely challenged child, plan on riding for two years! Reach out for help. Be honest with your social worker and agency. If you are having difficulties, tell them! You might be pleasantly surprised at how helpful they can be, but they can't help you if they don't know you're suffering. Join a support group such as those available at HTTP://EEADOPT.ORG, or locally. There are literally thousands of people ready to help and lend support. Provide private time for yourself, your spouse, and your other children. Keep stimulation, social, and work pressures to a minimum for as long as you can. Ask your extended family and friends for understanding and support. Accept your limitations and don't be afraid to fail. We learn by making mistakes. If your adoption situation proves particular difficult, remember to tell yourself everyday that tomorrow will be better, because it probably will be.

Most of all, know that what you are feeling is a normal response to stress, that you are not alone, and that there is help for this difficult phase of your adoption experience.

Symptoms of Depression
Diagnostic Criteria From DSM-IV

Five or more symptoms in a two week period:

Depressed mood most of the day, everyday (feeling sad, empty, or tearful) or feeling exceptionally irritable.
Markedly diminished interest or pleasure in all or almost all activities.
Significant weight loss or weight gain, increase or decrease in appetite.
Insomnia or hypersomnia nearly every day.
Psycho motor agitation or retardation nearly every day observable by others restlessness or being slowed down).
Fatigue or loss of energy nearly every day.
Feelings of worthlessness or excessive or inappropriate guilt nearly every day.
Diminished ability to think or concentrate, or indecisiveness nearly every day.
Suicidal thoughts or ideation.

Article Source: International Adoption Articles Directory

Post Adoption Depression, The Unacknowledged Hazard by Harriet White McCarthy
Copyright ©2005 Post Adoption Information. All Rights Reserved.
Post Adoption Information Resource: www.postadoptinfo.org

Please Rate this Article

Give this a thought...

2009-08-03T08:58:00.001-07:00

US foster care – 150,000 children in foster care 400,000+ religious organizations in the US. If just ½ of these organizations encouraged and supported one of their members to be a foster family every child in the US would be in a home.

Enjoying summer...many 1st's

2009-07-27T20:16:00.000-07:00

Adopting a child is like watching a flower bloom, every layer more beauty opens up to you. Our little girl is truly enjoying life, and has changed so much. I still remember holding her in Ethiopia, trying so hard to have her enjoy a ride on the swing. She would have nothing to do with it, just cried until she was back in my arms. NOW, however she yells if I remove her too soon from the swing. She wants to go higher and higher, not happy until her little feet hit above my head!

Life Changing Event

2009-07-13T06:17:00.000-07:00

How could I forget? When ever you have a life-changing event you should update your wills. I think adopiton would be one of those times. Well we are about 75% done with our re-adoption, I think I will request that our current attorney review and update our wills as needed.

"Mommy I did it all by myself"

2009-07-09T19:19:00.000-07:00

Well I gave the tooth a good yank, heard the root rip and left her alone in the room. I went to do laundry. She kept wanting to wiggle it, play with it, and try to loop a string around it. No sooner I started tossing dirty cloths in the washer then the cat jumped up on the window ledge, she saw something fly by the outside light. It was very small and caught my eye as pretty. As soon as it few by, my daughter yelled. "Mommy I did it all by myself!" I knew exactly what she did, and I truly think the "tooth fairy" was outside the window watching and waiting to gather a beautiful white tooth!

July Fun Times

2009-07-09T13:14:00.000-07:00

ABC.....Who is teaching who?

2009-07-07T17:41:00.001-07:00

Strawberry Fields Forever

2009-06-28T18:10:00.000-07:00

RIP Michael Jackson

2009-06-25T18:16:00.000-07:00

Still make fun of him; however he was a huge part of my teenage years. The excitement of his MTV videos, the white glove,leather pants, his songs coming to life in the form of min movies. Thriller with Vincent Price, and yes "The Crotch Grabbing", not vulgar, but at exactly the right time in the song to make you take notice. I have been to many concerts, big names 3 times The Rolling Stones! The one concert that stuck in my memory for life was Buffalo NY, Michael Jackson, moon walking across the stage. Screaming until my lungs hurt standing on our chairs. Every part of the concert was a spectacular show. He gave it his all and yes I am sad today to see him die so young. I hope the focus of the next few days for MJ is of his accomplishments of his life and not to tear him apart.

They don't call it swine anymore!

2009-06-24T19:05:00.000-07:00

Little man has been down and out! Monday 101, Tues 104.7, Wed...low 100's & feeling much more like himself. So basically I have a quick break from washing bedding, kids, floors, bathrooms, and last but not least 5 big bins of toys. Yes, everything got the oldfashioned bleach water soak! Some toys are still sounding off noises, car engines running, dolls squeeking. Nothing was leftout, battery toys included. I do think some of the water set them off to turn on by themselfs! It does feel better to get such a large task done, almost like with the start of summer, last day of school....get all thoses nasty to do lists out of the way. Next week we are expecting company. That is if our "swine home" does not scare them away. Good news is we are way past day 3 and so far its only been little M with the temps'

enjoying the start of summer....

2009-06-14T19:20:00.000-07:00

Attacking the paperwork for "re-adoption", not much, but still hard to settle down to just doing it! Yuck, HDTV! we use to get 5 stations, now we are lucky to get 2! I am totally going into "Days of our Life" withdrawal. That is truly my one hour break everyday, 1-2, no interruptions, just "my show" now it's GONE no channel, no signal. I can not last like this long! Baby Carmen is loving the warm weather,water play, slides, swings, sand, she is Loving it! Big sister M is ready to stop the getting up in the morning for school routine, totally over it! Big bro M, is ready to start up swim lessons, he has been practicing in the tub and wade pool. I have to get my act together and find the dates for Summer bible camp, and local swim lessons, would also like to see the Georgia Aquarium. Need to find details ect...enjoy my fav photos that I recently took. *here's hoping for good news this week for my adoption friends!

Night of the Arts...showing off talents!

2009-06-02T19:07:00.000-07:00

2009-05-30T20:44:00.000-07:00

Life Lesson...

2009-05-30T20:14:00.000-07:00

Moment of the day!

We truly love to show the children nature, point out things they may miss. Like geese flying over head in the shape of a V, a pasture of cattle...searching out if any new calfs are in the high grass. I guess you get the picture. Today on the way to the park I spoted a HUGE turtle. I mean so huge I could not pick it up if I had to. It was very old and agian HUGE. There it was on the center line, not sure if it was crossing or turning around. I pulled over put on the blinkers. We were on a back road, a very hilly back road. I tried to give cars a warning by waving out the window to slow down. Many cars took notice and slowed, but as the kids watched...car #4 clipped that poor turtle, spun it about. The poor creature was twisting and very much in pain. My daughter was screaming. "mommy, get out and help him", I could not. I told her the turtle will go into the grass, and its not safe for mom to go into the road. She cried for 15 min, when we arrived at the park, we each said a prayer to God to help the turtle. *life lesson, please do not stop to watch animals in the road, most time the outcome is not good.

On a better note, upon return I spoted 3 chunky platic Little Tots play equipment for sale in someones yard. The picnic table, Little cottage and huge climbing fort with slide. Guess what? All 3 for $55.00!!! We got a neighbors truck, brought them home and cleaned them up. We are enjoying our new backyard playground, very much.

We are falling deeper in love with our daughter everyday. Its wonderful to see the children bond as siblings. I try to watch from afar, both M&M have showed much kindness and affection at times I would of never imagined. She is very verbal, loves to play with the other children. Still perfers me for cuddling, feeding, main care ect. She has the sweetiest smile and such kind kisses. She shows much gratitue for even the littlest of kindness showed to her. As with our first two children, at first it feels like we are babysitting, then in time it clicks. "this is for real". I pray for all the families & children waiting for court in Ethiopia to finish investigations. I know this is for the best. No one wants to look at a child they adopted with questions in the back of their mind. Adoptive families are very strong. I hope for positive news soon for all my friends.

let the planting begin!

2009-05-26T12:36:00.001-07:00

fun with family

2009-05-25T16:18:00.000-07:00

"Smile"

2009-05-21T12:21:00.000-07:00

"A woman is like a tea-bag.
You never know how strong she is
until you put her in hot water."
- Eleanor Roosevelt

$9.00 + Lollypops= happiness!

2009-05-16T18:41:00.001-07:00

Yea, thats "my boy" wanting the biggest one in the group that costs more than his sisters. I did realize that he had been waiting all year for this special treat and did give in letting him pick out any lolly that he wanted! Thoses darn pops are so sticky, all day walking around the festivial with them sticking to the hairs on my arms, sticking to my pants,sticking to their checks, we did manange to keep them out of our hair! Thats part of being a kid, they will remember lollypop days!

Pure Joy!

2009-05-14T19:39:00.001-07:00

Every day is pure joy with Carmen, watching her enjoy life, learn new things. Sometimes its still hard to understand everything that she is trying to tell me. However today, it was very clear that she was not happy when the ride stopped and she need a bonus ride. This photo is her bonus ride! To think a few weeks ago, she was happy taking a bath holding "her" dinner roll, that was all hers. Her prize toy was a small matchbox car. She would prefer to be held by mom instead of riding on the swings with the other kids. Every day another layer of a sweet little girl is surfacing.

So Cute

2009-05-11T07:03:00.001-07:00

Happy Mothers Day

2009-05-10T09:25:00.001-07:00

Happy Mothers Day

2009-05-09T12:17:00.000-07:00

Photos Galore!

2009-04-28T16:20:00.000-07:00

I Love taking photos, I Love Shutterfly, I Love editing photos and trying to get the best shot. I am learning the proper lighting for shooting our new daughter,I think I am getting the knack of it. So looking forward to warm weather and getting beach photos, water photos and catching special moments.

Baptism Weekend

2009-04-26T13:36:00.001-07:00

Very Very Tired

2009-04-21T10:07:00.000-07:00

I promise to BLOG again soon, for the meantime, I am so very tired and must take quality time for family. Baby Carmen is very attached to just me, and I mean, she must even hold me while I prepare dinner, go into the bathroom ect. So we are giving her everything she needs, all body contact, hand feeding and co-sleeping. She has happiness in her eyes, and I know that hard shell is slowing breaking. Food is very important to her, not a drop is missed getting into her mouth. Here are a few photos for those still hanging in with me. Soon all the waiting children will have families. I hope the wait is short.

In Amsterdam

2009-04-11T22:54:00.000-07:00

We have about 2hrs before boarding. SO far its been a wonderful flights with KLM, food was great, bathrooms were cleaned at least 2 times durning flight, many movies to choose from.
Mid flight I did have high anxiety, just very very tired, mind was full of worries, missing the kids back home. I am having a hard time understanding that we are currently traveling ahead of the time zone at home.

TIP: When flying out of FJK -NY with 4 tubs of donatoins, Mike droped me and the checked items at the 4th termnial door, so we would not have to shelp everything from the car. I have to tip $1.00 per box, no big deal, The sky-cap brought the bins to the front of ticket counter, off-loaded them, and left me. Then the ticket lady said, "those" are not luggage" She did accept them upon the condition that I paid the sky-cap to pick them up, bring them accross the hall to get them all 5 piece shrunk wraped at about $9.00 per piece. Then when done, I had to tip the plastic wrap man $10 to bring them back to the ticket desk! SO in about 10min in JFK-NY we burned thru $60.00. Then poor Mike (my husband) ended up have to park long term in the short term parking. Long term parking was a messy maze to get to, so to park for 7 days the fee will be $250. Long story short,,,that was only a small snag in our day. NO big deal. "Just shrink wrap those bins"

The path to Carmen....for inquiring minds..

2009-04-08T17:06:00.000-07:00

JFK-NY TO
Amsterdam
3hr layover
Amsterdam TO
Nairobi
2.5 hr layover
Nairobi TO
Addis Ababa!!!!

TO HOME

Addis Ababa TO
Amsterdam
2hr layover
Amsterdam TO
JFK_NY!!!!!!!!!!home....who will see the baby first?????

We r outta HERE!

2009-04-08T13:26:00.000-07:00

TIP....once you get the CALL for travel approval, have your ducks lined up. By now you should already have a repore with a Travel Agent you trust,know what hotel you want to stay in and how to contact them. Have your emergency contact list, copy of your Travelers Check to leave behind, Car seat for when you retun home. Have all the cash as requested prepared, organized and gift cards for giving money as a gift.

So now I look forward to when the airplane door shuts, I can sink back, listen to the mp3 player and just plain think happy thoughts.....our daughter whom we will soon meet!

We used Scotts Travel, he was wonderful got us the best last min deal 1-800-494-7568

IF..

2009-04-07T18:36:00.000-07:00

If you were told you maybe leaving for Ethiopia in the next 2-3 days would you be ready. Most would say YES, until the actual time is upon you. I feel we were pretty prepared, gathering donations, purchasing items as needed ect.. However I feel a complete stressed out mess! Tip time.... purchase your donation bins way in advance, so you can play around with the packing of them to maximize space. Know what forms you will need from Immigration, your agency will tell you this,(practice filling them out!) however print out 5 copies for mess ups and redo's, make sure your computer INK IS FULL, Today, I have two key people waiting on an important document, no problem, I go to print it out, it comes out very very faded, not of good quality. guess what??no spare ink in the house!!! My friend printed from her home and raced it over to me, (this added 1.5 hours into my stress) Well we should know tomorrow of firm travel plans, as of right now, I am 98.5% ready! still would like to go and get the bins weighed at the post office in town. goodnight for now. FYI*bins, most airlines L X W X H bin should equal 62 inches or less, packed total weight not more than 50 lbs,most airlines allow 100 lbs checked per ticket, purchased bins at Target est price $8.00.

April Showers

2009-04-04T08:18:00.000-07:00

Spring, a time of change, new things to come, maybe good news?

Ok Power in Info: What happens between Court & Visa Apt?

2009-03-31T17:36:00.000-07:00

While sufring the net, I saw this wonderful blog of info. So here you go, while I can not take creidt for it, It does give you some tanagelable info that does make sense. PS added more to my Medical travel list, see post after this one.

What happens between the court date and the embassy date?
Posted by : Mary Owlhaven in Ethiopia Adoption Blog at 09:35 am , 504 words, 1062 views

An adoptive mom emailed me today, frustrated. She said that she got the referral of a baby girl in August during the court closure and is not scheduled to have a court date until late November, with travel planned for mid January. She is understandably eager to get her baby home and is wondering if her timelines are normal. She was also wondering just what has to happen between the court date and the embassy date since her agency is being vague regarding details.

Her timelines sound very normal to me. In fact, I know some families who got referrals in early summer who have not yet gotten through court. More cases these days are taking several attempts to finally pass court. Some this happens because a child's relative does not show up in court. Also lately the Ethiopian Children's Commission has been swamped with paperwork and has been a little slower to send their part of the paperwork on to court, which delay often is not discovered until the actual court date, causing a new court date to be necessary.

As far as travel permission, sometimes families are scheduled to travel as soon as 2-3 weeks after court. But it is just as common to have 4-6 weeks between your court date and your visa interview. Agencies that allow parents to travel a couple weeks after the court date risk having parents have to cancel plane tickets if the original court date is not successful.

There are quite a few steps that have to happen between the court date and the embassy date.

-- A few days after your court date, the courts will issue the court paperwork: the adoption decree as well as your child's new birth certificate with the adoptive parents' name on it.

---Both of those documents are needed so that your agency can go get your child's passport photos and then the child's passport. In my understanding the passport office is only open two days each week, and with the recent boom in Ethiopian adoptions, this office is very busy.

-- It will take another week or so for the passport to actually be issued. (This is fast, actually-- think about how long you waited in the US for your passport. Several times I've paid big bucks to have a passport expedited and have still waited several weeks.)

-- Once your agency has the passport in hand, they can do your child's visa physical, along with that last HIV test. And then, finally, everything is pulled together for the embassy visa interview, which will be done while the adoptive family is in Ethiopia. Keep in mind that the embassy interview is scheduled weeks ahead of time. Some families will wait as little as 3 weeks after the court date. Others will not have their interview scheduled till 6 weeks after the court date.

The entire process takes a lot of patience. Hang in there as you wait and know that everyone is trying to get things done as fast as possible.

Dying for TRAVEL DATES!

2009-03-31T08:25:00.000-07:00

I am so wound, this hanging on a date is just torture! I find it so hard, we have looked at her photo for so long, she must be so sick of sitting in the orphanage (she probably has no idea we are even her parents) :) But if I were her, I would wonder...whats the hold up? Now that our travel meds are purchased, there should be no more delays right?

Inventory Time...

2009-03-28T13:51:00.000-07:00

Crunch time, Ok this list has been in my head for a few weeks now, today it became reality . This is what I purchased:

Danskin Jogging suit, (its light cotton and so cozy, for the airplane ride)
socks for son & daughter that will be home with Nana, (socks vanish in our home!)
1pack of Take n Toss sippy cups
SPF 50 Sunblock, tear free
Toothpaste,(lg tube and sm carryon) toothbrushes for us and baby, travel case for them
Make-up Towelettes, (feels so nice after a long trip wash face with bottle water)
All new make-up (I deserve it)
Quick Read digital Thermometer
Baby nail clippers
Eucerin CREAM, (lotions for kids a no no, normally reactions)
Monistat 7 yup,,,,a gal never knows, (could be along trip)
Excedrin Migraine
Band aids
Soap case
3oz travel bottles (to fill with shampoo,conditioners, baby soap, big bottles will be checked)
Individual Antibacterial wipes for hands and surface. quantity 50
Hydrocortisone Cream 1% (in case baby has itches ect,some type of relief until we get home
40 pack of wipes for travel/ will purchase more in Ethiopia

Doctor Perscribed Azithromycin:for baby ear infections, powder form mix with water if needed*paid full price baby not yet on insurance

Doctor Perscribed: Ciprofloxacin HCL 500 MG: AKA for travelers diarea, for Mom & Dad

Benadryl: 2 pills I sleep like a baby, better than sleeping pills!
Alka-Seltzer Plus Day & Night, just because it helps us sleep
4 pack pedialyte singles, I also have powder packets but the singles are real handy, if they fit I will bring them
*unplanned purchase sweet dress 80%off for baby $6.00 and two neat T's for kids,soap dish (ours broke last night)
TP: 2 sm carryon/2 normal rolls checked
sm jar of vapor rub, for chest colds-baby
sm bottle eye drops:dry eye relief-adults
TOTAL Expense $293.24 it does add up fast, and I did not shop crazy either!

*PS forgot to purchase Feaver Reducers like Childrens Tylenol or Motrin have to do this.
ADDED to list Latex Gloves (for yuck)
Small Flashlight, (incase of power outage)
Shampoo for AA hair
Dramamine: motion sickness

Thank you Nana..aka Mom

2009-03-27T18:05:00.000-07:00

Mom sent us a beautiful box of little girl outfits. This is my favorite one so far. I want her to wear it the day we get her, but also when we arrive in the airport...however the airport outfit is not as important to me, we will be happiest to just be in our own beds! We are currently waiting on the outcome of the TB test, lets hope it is NEGATIVE, as a postive could create some very sad delays. I hear it takes 72 hours to see if there is a reaction to the test. Not sure when she is getting it done, I hope soon.

Our kids happy in the new seats.

2009-03-26T09:50:00.000-07:00

*for product info, see youtube video below/ Properly seated, the black clips should rest at nipple height on the child. The shoulder straps heights should be at an angle just below the ear lobes (not wraped around the shoulder like a bra strap), the space between the harness...it should be hard for an adult to slip their hand between the belt and the child's body. If your child's head is higher than the back of the car seat, they have outgrown it, which could result in whiplash to them or harm in a crash.

Research before you buy

2009-03-26T09:45:00.000-07:00

Not until I viewed this video did I know that there is a 5 point car seat available that will hold your child front facing up to 80lbs. We purchased the Britiax last year and are very happy with them. If we had known sooner it would of saved us money from purchasing the next one in between the rear-facing. Anyway, after reading the facts, we purchased them, not out of fear,but because it was the best on the market.

"Ask and ye shall recieve"

2009-03-23T18:54:00.000-07:00

Many months ago I did ask, I phoned a Knights of Columbus member in a near by town. Not sure what the out come would be, "I asked", Sir, I see from the computer that you are a Knight, we are trying real hard to bring baby formula to an orphanage in Ethiopia, will you be able to help us? That one call resulted in members gathering funds to purchase us 7 cases of precious formula, a total of 42 CANS! Small questions, regular people can do great things. When I think of my contact, I smile!

Thank You Thank You!

2009-03-23T11:24:00.000-07:00

This is a HUGE shout out to J&C, Thank you very very much for the Crayola Donation, not just one box, BUT 3 CASES total crayons of over 1400! Nothing like a nice fresh box of Crayola, nothing beats this. I am so excited to bring these to the orphanage. So if we see little scribbles on the concrete walls at the orphanage we can smile and thank J&C! Busy hands make happy kids! Thanks again Guys! Your day is coming soon, I promise.

Interview with a Travel agent...

2009-03-22T06:30:00.000-07:00

I have been in contact with a few travel agents. The one so far that we are most comfortable with is Scott Nordwall of International Travel. His email is tfs@isd.net
He is very informed with our travel goals and what we expect. He has also made this travel journey several times and has assisted over 500 families that were adopting. I am happy we interviewed a few, some agents never got back to us on basic questions, some asked us many "survey" questions and never got back to us. So it looks like we are putting our trust in Scott! Stay posted, I feel a travel date should be early this week.

The Referral Photo

2009-03-18T06:52:00.000-07:00

The day we waited so long for. The first look at our daughter. It seems like a lifetime ago that we started this adoption. It was truly worth every moment!

SUCCESS! GOD is GOOD, GOD IS TRUE!

2009-03-16T11:40:00.000-07:00

Ok, Ethiopia time to wake up!

2009-03-15T16:52:00.000-07:00

In six more hours it will be 9 am Monday in Ethiopia! Sounds like that's when courts are open. It will be 2am here Monday! I hope so bad we get notified tomorrow, I know our POA is working hard for us and knows how excited we are.

Its almost late Sunday Night in Ethiopia!

2009-03-15T10:56:00.000-07:00

I hope our POA has a good nights sleep. That the Judge favors well on our applications, that travel comes fast and Carmens adjustment goes smooth. This adoption has been soooooo long. It will be nice to have a new year of not worrying about paperwork, fees,new approvals, scrimping with money and just settle down and get in some family vacations and long weekends. No one ever said it would be easy, but the rewards are well worth the struggles! Will we sleep well tonight. Probably not, but I do so much want a good rest, I lay in bed thinking will "will I rest tonight" then morning is here! I need to be fresh so I can absorb all the new travel info we have. Its a debate between staying at a guest house or a big hotel. From what I have been reading guest house is the way to go, however our agency prefers a big hotel???? Anyone have any suggestions. Not sure if a guest house will be too full of activity with other families adopting, vs: staying in a hotel room which is normally a little more privacy~(not looking for a circus) Price is also a factor, since we are not planning on a long stay, I am not looking for a five star price. I would rather spend that kind of money for a big family trip when we are all together. We are not beneath roughing it some.

Almost 1 day til court!

2009-03-13T16:38:00.000-07:00

As well as beauty, the African rose from Ethiopia produces a vitamin-rich fruit, “very much liked by children and eaten fresh and raw. The fruits can be harvested from December onwards. When consuming too much, the fruits may cause stomachache and tingling sensation on the teeth.”

So our POA will go to court for us on 3/16, but in USA time that should be Sunday night while we are trying to sleep. I wonder if we will get good news early Monday morning, or will he try to get us our Embassy apt so we can plan travel then contact us.

A real nice adoptive mom from our old agency IM me a few days ago. She also just changed programs and wondered if our orphanage could use bottles. Well of course I said they would be welcomed. She is mailing them out today....she is sending 51! They should be nice and light weight, I wonder if we could stuff some candy in them??No sense bringing an empty bottle! right?

Finally started our 2008 family year book on Shutterfly. In the past we have spent so much money on photos that end up in drawers, wasted money of scrapbook materials ect. So last year, I saved all my best photos in separate files on Shutterfly. They are sorted by month, event ect. I went an entire year of not ordering one photo. They are all being printed in a wonderful book. I think it should be about 80 pages when complete. I started this in 2007 and it truly has been enjoyed. You can change the layouts, backgrounds, type in stories, captions ect.. It looks real nice when done. I start with Chinese New Years and end the year with Christmas! Plus God forbid, if anything was to happen to the book. A new one can be ordered, or for that fact, say when the kids get bigger and want to have their own. We can just order them a copy. It was getting very hard to keep up with separate books for each child. This seemed like the best solution. One more thing then I am done, what if your computer was to crash, and you lost all your photos? I know personally it would be horrible. So please find an on line company like Shutterfly and store your best shots there. You will not regret this.

2 Days Til Court

2009-03-12T19:05:00.000-07:00

Our Ethiopia Program Travel Instructions came in by email today! There is alot of info to review and absorb. I was not having a day where I could have full concentration on all this important info. It would be best to get a good nights sleep, read the info a few times. Then flood our adopion rep with several questions we will have. I did a fast scan, everything seems pretty forward. But for now we will rest on it. Guess what 2 days til court! PS: I read fast that Hershey's chocolate is popular in Ethiopia, I wonder how it will travel? If anyone knows please reply. thanks.

Look Who's Walking

2009-03-12T13:17:00.000-07:00