Finger Painting?

I really don't remember finger painting being done this way.

Apparently, Lili's creative juices were flowing, or maybe overflowing!

And The Winner Is . . . . . . .

No Bangs!!!!!! It was a close vote though, 11-9. For those who voted either, I marked one for bangs and one for no bangs :-)

So, I'm going to try the no bangs route for awhile and see how it goes. The worst that can happen is we go back to bangs.

Now, changing the subject:

I realized today that Naomi's adoption hasn't afforded me as many opportunities to blog about what's going on as Lili's adoption did. Granted, during the paper chase portion of adoption, there really isn't much to talk about. We had our referral within 1 month of submitting our dossier with Lili's adoption, but this time we'll have a 5-6 month wait. At least that is what our agency is predicting right now. So, for the next several months the most I will be able to talk about is how long we've been waiting. However, since we still have a couple milestones to reach, I'll share that information as I get it. Fortunately, I can report that our agency informed me yesterday that our dossier is at the Ethiopian Consulate in Washington D.C. for authentication and will go directly from there to Ethiopia. They did tell me that the attorney has several dossiers that he is going to need to register and as such, he is going to be quite busy, but our dossier should be registered in country in about two weeks. That's exciting news because that is the point where we begin the countdown to referral.

So, as things stand right now, our dossier will be registered sometime next month and if time lines stay the same, we'll have photos, a medical report, and information on Naomi sometime in November or December of this year.

In the meantime, I've picked out the paint color for Naomi's room and will soon purchase and begin painting her room. Our plan is to put Lili in a 'big girl' bed and move all the nursery furniture to Naomi's room. Yes, already she is getting Lili's hand-me-downs, but considering the fact that Lili only used her crib a handful of times (Lili co-sleeps), it's basically new. I've also contacted the travel clinic and have completed the required questionnaire to begin our travel shots. I found it much easier to survive the wait if I did little things along the way to prepare for Lili's arrival and I'm going to do the same thing while waiting for Naomi. For me, every step I take in preparation is a step closer to having my baby girl home.

For those of you who have gone through or are going through the adoption process, how did you keep or are keeping yourself busy and sane during the wait?

Bangs or No Bangs?

That is the question. What do you think?

What Adoption Does to a Mom-to-Be

Monday was certainly an exciting day in our house. I remember how excited I was when our 171H arrived for Lili's adoption. However, the excitement was so much more this time around. Of course there are a few differences between Lili's adoption and this one. Not only are we adopting from a different country, but we're also using a different placement agency. With Lili's adoption, our dossier was submitted before receiving our 171H, this time the 171H had to be included in the dossier packet. It only took 4 months to get our home study and 171H with Lili's adoption. It took 7 1/2 months this time and that fact alone made getting that piece of paper much more exciting this time around. I was beginning to feel as if we would never get to this point, but here we are.

So, picture this scene. Lili and I go to the post office to pick up the mail. I start going through our mail while still inside the post office and I see an envelope from USCIS. Still standing in the post office, I tear open the envelope and there it is . . . . .

"OUR APPROVAL"

The first words out of my mouth were "YES!!!" and then I made up a silly song that went something like this:

We're going to the bank to get our notarization
Then we're going to Springfield to get our certification
Next to the post office to mail our dossier
Yeah, yeah, yeah!!!

I don't think anyone heard me singing or saw me skipping out of the post office, but I'm sure if they did they would have thought I was a mom who had just gone bonkers. Of course I'm sure none of them have gone through this crazy process called adoption. Anyway, Lili enjoyed my song and that's all that really matters.

We had all our paperwork in the mail by Monday afternoon and the next day I started stalking my email for a note from our agency saying they'd received the paperwork. Yes, I went from being the crazy woman skipping out of the post office to a stalker within a 24 hour period. I managed to take the day off yesterday from being the crazy stalker, but it's back on today. I'm waiting on word from our agency that our dossier has been sent to Washington DC for authentication. That is the last step before it's sent to Ethiopia where it will be registered and we'll officially begin the wait for our referral.

These are the kinds of things that happen to a mom-to-be during the adoption process.

I wonder what Naomi will think when I share this story with her one day in the future? LOL!!!

7 Months and 15 Days

That's the amount of time it took to get our paperwork collected, home study completed and approval from USCIS (171H). However, it all came together today and I'm thrilled to say that our dossier is officially on it's way to the agency!!!!!! Our agency will receive it tomorrow by noon and sometime within the next 3-4 weeks our paperwork will arrive in Ethiopia and we will officially be a waiting family for a baby girl.

YEAH!!!!!!

Inspiring Stories

As long as I can remember, I've been impressed and deeply touched by those people who move themselves and their families from their home to a foreign land because they feel their purpose in life is much bigger than than the life they have been living. Over the years I have wondered if I would ever have the inner strength, commitment and desire to make such a life changing decision? I guess that question was answered in 2006 when I made the decision to adopt :-) After all, what person in their 'right mind' would decide to adopt in their 40's, with 3 grown children already? LOL!!!!! Adopting Lili is certainly at the top of my list for the biggest and most life changing decision I've ever made and yet hearing of people who leave their homes and jobs to go open and run an orphanage or build and run a medical center in a foreign land still amazes me.

Today, someone shared a link to a story about a couple in Ethiopia who decided that they wanted to make a change. I hope everyone will take time to read their story.

http://www.storyofmylife.com/User/user_suzy_story_view.aspx?storyId=3681&CategoryId=1976&UserId=154360

My little life changer. One of the best decisions I've ever made.

Even with icing on her face.

Cheese

Lately, whenever I point the camera at Lili she immediately starts saying "cheese." However, the word "cheese" doesn't produce a smile, but instead produces this face.

And this face . . . . .

And this face . . . . . .

It doesn't really matter though, she just darn cute no matter what!!!!

2 Year Check-Up

Lili had her 2 year check up today and my little girl is getting bigger and smaller at the same time. When we brought her home from Guatemala she was in the 10th% in weight and 70th% in height. Her doctor wanted us to get her weight up and by her next check up we got her up to the 20th% in weight and she was in the 65th% in height. Today she weighed in at a whopping 24 lbs and is 33 inches tall. That puts her in the 24th% in weight and the 26th% in height. Her weight percentage has continued to go up, but her height percentage keeps going down. The doctor is actually very pleased that her percentages are lining up so well now and since she continues to grow, he's not in the least bit concerned.

Here is 'short stuff' in one of her new birthday outfits.

I Love It When Children Come Home

Because most of my blog readers are also adoptive families, I know we all enjoy hearing and reading "good news" about children coming home to their forever families.

My blog friend Maria and her husband brought Tatianna home from Ethiopia about 3 weeks ago.

One of my agency forum friends Jenna and her husband just returned from Ethiopia last week with their little angel Addia.

Another blog friend Carrie welcomed her husband back home from the Democratic Republic of Congo with their newest addition Haven.

Congratulations to all these families!!!!

My Girl Loves to Party All the Time

Balloons always make a party better.

Now you see her . . . . .

Now you don't.

Can you tell me how to get, how to get to Sesame Street?

We couldn't celebrate Lili's birthday without a pinata.

A treat from the pinata. Yum!

Make a wish!

Since everyone seemed to have a good time, I would say the party was a success.

One of the highlights of Lili's birthday was having our niece and her husband drive up from Texas just to join in the celebration. We are all fortunate to have you in our lives. Thanks for making the long drive.

Birthday Photos

We did a little celebrating for Lili's birthday yesterday, but her actual party takes place tomorrow. However, I did have to take pictures of her on her actual birthday.

The first photo took place at breakfast. The girl loves blueberries and I couldn't resist taking a picture of her blueberry face.

It's been raining a lot the last few days and we finally had a break in the weather so Lili could go out on the deck and do some decorating on the bench with her chalk.

I don't think this bench has ever looked so good.

Enjoying her tower of Play-Doh. Thanks grandpa and grandma!

I'm finally able to get her to smile for pictures from time to time and this is the kind of smile I get. And why are there always toys on the floor in the pictures I take?!!!

This last photo I took the day before her birthday. Apparently, the thought of getting older wears her out.

Coming soon to a blog post near you . . . . .

"Birthday Party Photos!!!!"