Preface: Like we've said before, the list that other people with our agency use to keep track of who's where in line is unofficial and could be completely wrong.
This week there have been about five or six referrals. We were super-excited for everyone and still prepared for a L-O-N-G wait. Then, today, another family who had a request similar to ours announced that they received their referral. We looked a bit more closely at the list and realized that there are only a handful of families- like three to five- with our exact request ahead of us.
We were definitely prepared to get our referral sometime in like June or September. But, if things keep moving like they did this week, there is a good chance we may recieve our referral in the next few months.
Early on in our journey to start a family, we had a list of everything we needed. Organic diapers and all natural everything and the perfect stroller and a million other tchotchkes. Now, we're in no way prepared for this. No crib... no kid clothes... no toddler bed... no bottles or sippy cups...no organic anything. Here's hoping that our belief that it all works out for good really holds true :)
So, we still have no news, and you shouldn't get your hopes up, but chances are good we might have news way sooner than expected... and we should definitely buy a few sippy cups.... or bottles.... or something.
Sunday, December 2, 2012
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Moving, Giving, and Winning!!
In the past two days, at least three families from our organization have received referrals. Three families who were in front of us in line now have referrals for their babies... we are now three spots closer. We've still got a way to go, but it's exciting anyway.
In honor of referrals and the end of the fiscal year, Jimmy and I are engaging in a bit of friendly competition. We're working to raise money through AdoptTogether, a non-profit organization, for adoptive families that's the equivilant of some of our adoption costs. When a family receives a referral, they pay about $400 for the file to be reviewed by an international adoption specialist. They also end up paying about $400 for visas for parents and kiddos.
So, between now and December 31, we're asking others to join us by donating $5, which is tax-deductible, to AdoptTogether. To help Team Jimmy, type International Specialist in the memo section. To join Celeste's winning team, type Family Visas in the memo.
Here's to more referrals and lots of movement!!
In honor of referrals and the end of the fiscal year, Jimmy and I are engaging in a bit of friendly competition. We're working to raise money through AdoptTogether, a non-profit organization, for adoptive families that's the equivilant of some of our adoption costs. When a family receives a referral, they pay about $400 for the file to be reviewed by an international adoption specialist. They also end up paying about $400 for visas for parents and kiddos.
So, between now and December 31, we're asking others to join us by donating $5, which is tax-deductible, to AdoptTogether. To help Team Jimmy, type International Specialist in the memo section. To join Celeste's winning team, type Family Visas in the memo.
Here's to more referrals and lots of movement!!
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Two Months DTE
Actually, in the meantime, we are working and saving and planning and doing all that we can to be ready. Well, as ready as you can be for your once normal life to be completely turned upside down by another human being. We applied a few months ago to AdoptTogether, an organization started by an adoptive family to help other adoptive families through the journey of adoption. They've been great at providing support and cheering us on as we worked to finish our home study and dossier. The other thing they do is provide a way for people to make tax-deductible donations to support our adoption... well really, anyone's adoption who's part of the AdoptTogether network... so if you go to their website, you can actually shop for families to support if you're in the end of year giving mood. So, visit their site and give generously to us or another family before the end of this tax year :)
Happy November!
Saturday, October 6, 2012
One Month (Almost) DTE
On Monday, we will have been officially waiting for one month. They say we have about 23 more to go; however, I looked at the list. There are only five other families with requests exactly like ours. So, I've decided it's like the Fast Pass, or whatever you call it, at Disney. Everyone thinks the wait will be long, but somehow, magically, you're at the front of the line before you know it.
Luckily, while the rest of you are breathing a sigh of relief and sending your kiddos off to school with nothing to do but catch up on day time television and eat bon bons, Jimmy and I have been crazy busy working at school taking care of some pretty amazing kiddos. This means, no time to think about the 23 possible months of waiting ahead or debate the validity of my Fast Pass theory.
Enjoy your television and bon bons!
:)
Luckily, while the rest of you are breathing a sigh of relief and sending your kiddos off to school with nothing to do but catch up on day time television and eat bon bons, Jimmy and I have been crazy busy working at school taking care of some pretty amazing kiddos. This means, no time to think about the 23 possible months of waiting ahead or debate the validity of my Fast Pass theory.
Enjoy your television and bon bons!
:)
Saturday, September 8, 2012
DTE
dossier \ˈdȯs-ˌyā, ˈdäs-; ˈdȯ-sē-ˌā, ˈdä-\
(n.) a file containing official paperwork on a person or persons
to \tə, tu̇, ˈtü\
(prep.) used as a function word to indicate movement or action
Ethiopia \ˌē-thē-ˈō-pē-ə\
(n.) Officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, with an approximate population of 73 million people (2005) in just over 471,000 square miles in Northeast Africa. Bordered by Eritrea to the north, Djibouti to the northeast, Solmalia to the east and southeast, Kenya to the sourth, and Sudan to the west. Adis Ababa is the nation's capital and largest city. As of 2006, UNICEF says there are over 4 million orphans living in Ethiopia - of those, over 800,000 were orphaned as a result of HIV/AIDS.
On September 7, 2012 our adoption agency Fed Ex'ed our dossier to Ethiopia. Last I checked - and I'm checking every time I pick up my phone- our little pile of paperwork was in transit to Memphis, TN.
Our agency doesn't do an offical waitlist. It makes sense, there are too many different sorts of requests, and their people working in Ethiopia know the kiddos really well and get to have voice in which kiddos get placed with which waiting families, and I'm sure they have lots of other reasons, too, but those are the two that make the most sense to me. Anyway, even though there isn't an official waitlist, there is a group of waiters who share information and keep an un-official waitlist. So, unofficially, we are anywhere from #88 to #15. So, who knows how much longer we'll actually wait, but at least we know that the part we could control is on its way to stand in line for us. Next up, our referral.... at which point we will begin to gladly announce that our baby is cuter than your baby :)
Love,
Jimmy and Celeste
(n.) a file containing official paperwork on a person or persons
to \tə, tu̇, ˈtü\
(prep.) used as a function word to indicate movement or action
Ethiopia \ˌē-thē-ˈō-pē-ə\
(n.) Officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, with an approximate population of 73 million people (2005) in just over 471,000 square miles in Northeast Africa. Bordered by Eritrea to the north, Djibouti to the northeast, Solmalia to the east and southeast, Kenya to the sourth, and Sudan to the west. Adis Ababa is the nation's capital and largest city. As of 2006, UNICEF says there are over 4 million orphans living in Ethiopia - of those, over 800,000 were orphaned as a result of HIV/AIDS.
On September 7, 2012 our adoption agency Fed Ex'ed our dossier to Ethiopia. Last I checked - and I'm checking every time I pick up my phone- our little pile of paperwork was in transit to Memphis, TN.
Our agency doesn't do an offical waitlist. It makes sense, there are too many different sorts of requests, and their people working in Ethiopia know the kiddos really well and get to have voice in which kiddos get placed with which waiting families, and I'm sure they have lots of other reasons, too, but those are the two that make the most sense to me. Anyway, even though there isn't an official waitlist, there is a group of waiters who share information and keep an un-official waitlist. So, unofficially, we are anywhere from #88 to #15. So, who knows how much longer we'll actually wait, but at least we know that the part we could control is on its way to stand in line for us. Next up, our referral.... at which point we will begin to gladly announce that our baby is cuter than your baby :)
Love,
Jimmy and Celeste
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