Good food, great people!

Last night Dave and I went out to dinner with 20 or so people we have never met. We went to the Ethiopian restaurant in town. The food was fabulous as always and the company was even better.

It was so great to put faces with names and to start to get know these people. They were couples, single moms, people home for years, people travelling in a few weeks, people with referrals, people close to referral and people just starting out. It was a very diverse group of people.

I would say last night was definitely a highlight in the almost 6 years that I have lived here. Don't get me wrong I love my neighbors and my friends, but these people last night just get it. They get the whole process. How hard the waiting is, the struggles with infertility, the awkward looks and questions people ask when you tell them you are adopting from Ethiopia or they see you with your Ethiopian child.

I met people who knew what it was like to hate everything pregnancy and baby related while you are struggling with infertility, people who understand how frustrating the process can be and the not knowing is, people who used to live on the West Coast and understand my love of the Nordstrom shoe department and how awful it is that we don't have one here. ( I know I could drive to Chicago but really 3 hours just for shoes...)

After dinner we went out for drinks with some of the others and had even more fun. It was nice to relax and unwind and for me to finally feel connected in this crazy place we call home. I never have really felt like I found my niche and I kind of think I found it last night. I made some strong connections with people and can't wait to hang out again.

36 days....

Hi my name is Cathy and I have an addiction. An addiction to countdowns. I can't stop. I need help. I may be beyond help not sure but admitting it is the first step right??

So since I am fully embracing my love/obsession with countdowns we are 36 days away from our court date. The date that will legally change my life. The day a judge in Ethiopia makes us officially Peanut's parents. Don't get me wrong, we already feel like Peanut's parents in our hearts, we just need the paperwork to catch up.

These next 5 weeks will be interesting. I plan on taking a friend up on her offer to get together soon. Thank goodness I have lots of people in my life that get how hard this waiting can be.

This weekend, I have planned a Mom's Night Out event at the local Ethiopian restaurant. I have made reservations and we are all set. It started as a Mom's Night but now is more of a couples, friends and Mom's night. So Dave and I are going to get to meet a bunch of other families that live near us that are in various stages of adopting from Ethiopia. I can't wait!

Some of the people I know from our agency aren't going to be able to make it and I am bummed that I won't get to meet some of them in person. I know we will meet soon. I am excited to meet new people. I am a people person. And even better that these new people will have been where I am now or will be there shortly. We have an instant connection and a common love for everything Ethiopian. Who knows, maybe I will meet some playmates for Peanut...