Please vote for Yohannes of Ethiopia Reads to become CNN's Top Hero.
For more info on Ethiopia Reads, check out www.ethiopiareads.org.
For more info on Ethiopia Reads, check out www.ethiopiareads.org.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Friday, October 17, 2008
Cute Pug pictures!
I don't have any adoption news to share, so I thought I would share some cute pictures of Badger and Sebastian.
Here is Badger engaging in his favorite post meal activity: licking out the food dish OBSESSIVELY and VERY loudly.
Here is Badger just being cute little Badger. Doesn't he have the saddest/cutest face ever???
This is Sebastian's favorite hiding place, under the shelving unit in the kitchen. He loves to sleep there and get away from Badger. Too cute. 
Other than taking cute pictures of the dogs and hitting refresh on the forum waiting to see the word referral again, not much is going on. We are busy this weekend. We are going to the symphony tonight, a food and wine show tomorrow and then church and some yard work on Sunday.
Here is Badger engaging in his favorite post meal activity: licking out the food dish OBSESSIVELY and VERY loudly.
Here is Badger just being cute little Badger. Doesn't he have the saddest/cutest face ever???
This is one of Sebastian's favorite places to sleep: the laundry basket. I found him there today when I got home from work.
This is Sebastian's favorite hiding place, under the shelving unit in the kitchen. He loves to sleep there and get away from Badger. Too cute.
Other than taking cute pictures of the dogs and hitting refresh on the forum waiting to see the word referral again, not much is going on. We are busy this weekend. We are going to the symphony tonight, a food and wine show tomorrow and then church and some yard work on Sunday.Wednesday, October 15, 2008
A birthday gift for my Dad
HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!!!!
I know we took you out to dinner last weekend and we aren't there today but I do have a small gift for you.
We are #18 on the list. That means you just got a little closer to being a grandpa! Yeah! I know its not much but I know you want to be a grandpa so I thought this little bit of info would help brighten your day.
So sit back, relax, have a Schlitz and count the days until you retire.
In other news, not much is going on. We have a BUSY weekend ahead and are excited to get out and about. Hopefully, we will have more adoption news to share soon but it has been pretty quiet this week. I would be great to have more referrals this week but I have a feeling we won't see any until next week. My hope was to be in the teens by early this week and we are so I am happy with that.
I know we took you out to dinner last weekend and we aren't there today but I do have a small gift for you.
We are #18 on the list. That means you just got a little closer to being a grandpa! Yeah! I know its not much but I know you want to be a grandpa so I thought this little bit of info would help brighten your day.
So sit back, relax, have a Schlitz and count the days until you retire.
In other news, not much is going on. We have a BUSY weekend ahead and are excited to get out and about. Hopefully, we will have more adoption news to share soon but it has been pretty quiet this week. I would be great to have more referrals this week but I have a feeling we won't see any until next week. My hope was to be in the teens by early this week and we are so I am happy with that.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Most Recent Newsletter
We get a monthly newsletter from our agency that let's us know about changes, resources and any other info that us adoptive parents might crave. There are now 320 families on the wait list for Ethiopia. I can't believe how big the program has gotten since we first started.
Also in the newsletter was some exciting yet sad news. Here is the paragraph I am talking about.
We are happy to share news with you about a new direction in which CHSFS Ethiopia is moving, in association with adoption service partners in certain regions of the country. CHSFS Ethiopia recently signed and enacted formal adoption service working agreements with two licensed orphanages in the states of the Southern Region and Oromia. Mussie orphanage and Bethel orphanages are licensed in local child care institutions that reach out and care for unaccompanied, abandoned, and orphaned children. In turn, these license child care providers may refer children to placing agencies such as CHSFS Ethiopia for the purpose of adoption.
So this is good news because prior to this new agreement, CHSFS worked with one orphanage in Hossana so with this they are working with 3 orphanages. This is exciting because that may translate into more referrals coming in to CHSFS and possibly a shorter wait. It is sad because their might be more children being separated from their first families.
No new news on when we might start seeing some more referrals. Hopefully soon as we are a little over 1 week away from the 9 month mark. I know there are some families that are getting closer to the 12 month mark so I am sure hoping they get their referrals, before they hit that mark in November.
Well, I am off to relax. I finished the patio furniture so in the next week or so I will be starting the mural in the nursery. YEAH!! As promised I will take pictures to document the process.
Also in the newsletter was some exciting yet sad news. Here is the paragraph I am talking about.
We are happy to share news with you about a new direction in which CHSFS Ethiopia is moving, in association with adoption service partners in certain regions of the country. CHSFS Ethiopia recently signed and enacted formal adoption service working agreements with two licensed orphanages in the states of the Southern Region and Oromia. Mussie orphanage and Bethel orphanages are licensed in local child care institutions that reach out and care for unaccompanied, abandoned, and orphaned children. In turn, these license child care providers may refer children to placing agencies such as CHSFS Ethiopia for the purpose of adoption.
So this is good news because prior to this new agreement, CHSFS worked with one orphanage in Hossana so with this they are working with 3 orphanages. This is exciting because that may translate into more referrals coming in to CHSFS and possibly a shorter wait. It is sad because their might be more children being separated from their first families.
No new news on when we might start seeing some more referrals. Hopefully soon as we are a little over 1 week away from the 9 month mark. I know there are some families that are getting closer to the 12 month mark so I am sure hoping they get their referrals, before they hit that mark in November.
Well, I am off to relax. I finished the patio furniture so in the next week or so I will be starting the mural in the nursery. YEAH!! As promised I will take pictures to document the process.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Double tagged!
Ok so Julie tagged me back to ask my favorite movie/music moment. Well that is a tough one...
Well hands down my favorite movie is "Rain Man". It always has been. I have come to love the movie "Pay it Forward". I am big on movies that have a bigger meaning. I LOVE the concept of of paying it forward. I do believe in karma so I truly believe if I do generous things for others that that will come back to me in a positive fashion. As for "Rain Man", the message that love trumps all else is so powerful. You can't pick your family but you can chose to love them and be there for them.
As for music, I am not a huge music buff but things that stand out for me are the Garth Brooks concert and the Cheap Trick concert.
I was able to see Garth Brooks in Sacramento and was thrilled. That was hands down one of the coolest live music events that I have seen. I was also able to see Cheap Trick this summer at SummerFest in Milwaukee. I have seen them before but the atmosphere was totally different at SummerferFest. It is hard to put in to words...
So I hope that answers your tag back Julie :)
Well hands down my favorite movie is "Rain Man". It always has been. I have come to love the movie "Pay it Forward". I am big on movies that have a bigger meaning. I LOVE the concept of of paying it forward. I do believe in karma so I truly believe if I do generous things for others that that will come back to me in a positive fashion. As for "Rain Man", the message that love trumps all else is so powerful. You can't pick your family but you can chose to love them and be there for them.
As for music, I am not a huge music buff but things that stand out for me are the Garth Brooks concert and the Cheap Trick concert.
I was able to see Garth Brooks in Sacramento and was thrilled. That was hands down one of the coolest live music events that I have seen. I was also able to see Cheap Trick this summer at SummerFest in Milwaukee. I have seen them before but the atmosphere was totally different at SummerferFest. It is hard to put in to words...
So I hope that answers your tag back Julie :)
I've been tagged!
I have been tagged by a fellow blogger. This is my first time so thanks Theresa (Easties and Co). So I am going to share 7 random things about me.1) Ice Cream is hands down my favorite food. I could eat it all day every day but I don't. The worst part is that I am lactose intolerant so can't really eat ice cream without taking a pill.
2) I talk to my pugs like they can actually hear me and understand me. I know crazy but if you own a pug or a dog you probably understand.
3) I have little artistic talent but love to paint. I can't draw a straight line with a ruler. Painting is relaxing and peaceful for me whether it is a piece of ceramic or a wall.
4) I have been known to yell at my husband in my sleep or just blurt out random things that make no sense. Apparently, I yelled at him once about a pair of pants and another time I was talking about purple suns and blue grass. Don't ask me, I was sleeping. :)
5) I am deathly afraid of deep water. I won't swim in oceans, lakes, rivers, etc. I am okay with pools but won't go underwater. That being said I have been kayaking and whitewater rafting. I did it as part of a team building experience at my old job and don't plan on doing it again. Ask my last boss and she will agree and show you the scar I gave her when we got thrown out of the raft and I grabbed on to her for dear life.
6) I love country music and 80's/90's heavy metal. Yes, I know weird combo but on a mix CD you will find Bon Jovi, Sugarland, Poison, Tim McGraw, Skid Row, and Chuck Wicks.
7) Fall is my favorite season here in Wisconsin. I love all the colors on the trees and the cool air. It is just so beautiful.
Okay so I have to tag 7 people, so I have tagged:
Cindy (http://niesenfamilyblog.blogspot.com/)
Julie (http://theeyesofmyeyesareopened.blogspot.com/)
Leah (http://leahandericsadoptionjourney.blogspot.com/)
Cheryl (http://schearjoy.blogspot.com/)
Abby (http://www.kevindhendricks.com/abby/)
Rachel (http://ifittakesawholelife.blogspot.com/)
Leah (http://forever2young.blogspot.com/)
All of their blogs are ones I follow often. Have fun!
Oh and we are #19!!!
Friday, October 10, 2008
Processing....
Now that we are at the end of the week, I have had some time to process all the activity. I did pinch myself to make sure it was all real and in fact it is. We have moved up 7 spaces on the unofficial list this week and I feel like we are in the top 40 for sure waiting for an infant.
I started thinking about this whole thing and when we started this process almost a year ago, we were probably in the 180's on the official list or higher and 88 or so on the unofficial list. Wow. Even though times have been trying during the wait, we really have come along way. We are getting closer to realizing our dream of parenthood.
Holy Moly. I have a lot of work and preparations to do before this happens. My "pregnancy" is entering its final stages. We are merely a few months away (hopefully less) from seeing the face of our beautiful baby. Boy or girl doesn't matter. I just want to see that picture.
I lately have had really strong feelings that we are having a boy. Don't ask me why, I just have a feeling. From when I decided I did want to have children, I always wanted a boy so maybe it is just those feelings manifesting themselves. After the twins, I really wanted a girl. At this point, I am really open to either or both of course. :)
Everyone says that once we get our referral, the wait will seem like nothing. This wait has been tough and will get tougher as we approach 9 months. I do believe though that once I have my referral it really will all have been worth it. I know I will have waiting after our referral but I can at least stare at my baby every day.
We have heard through the grapevine that this batch of referrals is in fact done. So now we wait for the next one. We don't know when it will come but hopefully it won't be too long. I have renewed faith that my dream of having my referral before the holidays will come true.
I started thinking about this whole thing and when we started this process almost a year ago, we were probably in the 180's on the official list or higher and 88 or so on the unofficial list. Wow. Even though times have been trying during the wait, we really have come along way. We are getting closer to realizing our dream of parenthood.
Holy Moly. I have a lot of work and preparations to do before this happens. My "pregnancy" is entering its final stages. We are merely a few months away (hopefully less) from seeing the face of our beautiful baby. Boy or girl doesn't matter. I just want to see that picture.
I lately have had really strong feelings that we are having a boy. Don't ask me why, I just have a feeling. From when I decided I did want to have children, I always wanted a boy so maybe it is just those feelings manifesting themselves. After the twins, I really wanted a girl. At this point, I am really open to either or both of course. :)
Everyone says that once we get our referral, the wait will seem like nothing. This wait has been tough and will get tougher as we approach 9 months. I do believe though that once I have my referral it really will all have been worth it. I know I will have waiting after our referral but I can at least stare at my baby every day.
We have heard through the grapevine that this batch of referrals is in fact done. So now we wait for the next one. We don't know when it will come but hopefully it won't be too long. I have renewed faith that my dream of having my referral before the holidays will come true.
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