Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and All That Jazz!
We have been horrible about updating this blog, but we have been pretty busy.
First, Adoption Process Update:
Our dossier has been in Ethiopia for nearly 10 weeks! We are awaiting our referrals. The referral call could still be a few (or several) months away...or it could come this week - ya just never know!
On December 9th we had another conference call/ "training" session with our agency. This was to go over a sample of the referral form we will receive for each of our children (just so we know what information we can expect... medical and social history etc.) and to give us an introduction to traveling to Ethiopia. This was just an overview, but it certainly does get our minds prepared for when we do actually get our referrals and then get to the point where we have to think about traveling and all that entails.
I have been working some in the kids room over the holiday break, so although there is much to do.... progress is being made and it doesn't feel so overwhelming now. That is a good thing!
I guess that's it for news in the adoption... I am (of course): still reading adoption books and magazines, researching online, a part of several (Ethiopian adoption specific) yahoo groups, blog-stalking multiple families who have adopted from Ethiopia or are in the process of it, and chatting with new friends (who have adopted or are in process) I have met since we began our own adoption journey. I can never seem to have enough information... I'm always looking somewhere else or talking to someone different. I have to, in order to feel somewhat prepared.
One last adoption-related thing!! We asked my sister (Stacy) if she would like to go with us to Ethiopia when we travel to pick up our children... she said yes, is thrilled to do so - and has already gotten a passport and taken steps to be ready for the trip when the time comes. That will be such a blessing for Jaime and I....as having another adult with us in the airport, in country, in flight etc.. (with two children that don't really know us or speak our language!) will be a great help indeed!!
What's been going on in our lives....
Well, on December 19th (one of my nephew's birthday) - Jaime and I participated in our graduation ceremony. I have completed a Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership, and Jaime has completed (well, has a few weeks of class left, but has just about completed...) a Master of Arts in Human Resources and Organizational Development. It is nice to have that over with!
Then there was the holidays to keep us busy! The picture below if Jaime and I with one of my adorable nephews at Thanksgiving. I actually meant to put a Christmas picture here...and totally didn't realize, until after the fact, that I had put one in from Thanksgiving. Oh well, it was a better picture than the Christmas ones...so, deal with it gracefully! :-)
We had a good Christmas. We stayed in California this year, which means we did not get to see Jaime's family :-( and Jaime had to pretend it felt like Christmas with no snow (and it being 80 degrees here)! But she managed, and our plan is to visit her family on the way back from Ethiopia (at an unknown date...hopefully soon!!).
We spent Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with my family. There's lots of them! We ate, exchanged gifts, ate, played games, and ate some more.... I think we're all still full even a week later!!
We haven't even been referred children yet, and therefore don't know their ages/sex etc... but they still raked in quite a bit of stuff from my family for Christmas! There is a pic below of some of what they have received thus far.
We didn't have any guests over (to our place) for the holidays this year... well, except for Santa of course. We tried to wait up for him so we could have a chat, but he's a sneaky little buggar! Anyhow, he did seem to enjoy the milk and cookies we laid out ...
Jaime thought it odd that he makes his "S"s similar to mine. But, I think it's just a pretty common way to write them... no biggie! :-)
That's All Folks! Happy New Year!! Hope it's a great one for you all!
Sean
