Great Reads

My other love, Nicholas Kristof, and his wife published a book a few years ago titled Half the Sky; I just noticed that Amazon is running a special for $8.88 for the paperback version. While it's not adoption related, it is one of the most insightful books I have read about the current state of humanity. His ability to prompt readers to understand their role in helping to turn oppression into opportunity for countless women and families is powerful. He weaves together narrative with nonfiction in a way that will make you long to be in the middle of no where working alongside others who are making this world better. I planned on just posting multiple images of the book cover here and telling you to guy it, but it seemed bare without words.





Now I've realized that I can't just suggest one book. I mean really, who buys just one book? You need multiple suggestion. After you addint Half the Sky to your card, then check out There is No Me Without You by Melissa Faye Greene. This gives insight into how one Ethiopian woman has worked to help serve children affected by the AIDS crisis by opening her open to children orphaned by AIDS. Besides telling the story of orphanages in Ethiopia, Greene humorously describes how she stumbled into adoption and gives a pretty eye-opening description of life after adoption. Greene is transparent enough to let readers know that building an adoptive family is not all sunshine and roses like all of your blogs make it look, but she also instills confidence that it is possible to successfully build a family with kiddos from all sorts of backgrounds.

So, this is clearly the most random posting, I really only intended to mention the Kristoff book because it's awesome and on sale, but then I saw a FB post remind me of There is No Me Without You and then I remembered this awesome book. So, I had to squeeze in one last book. This is technically book for teachers, but as I read it, I couldn't help but think that it should be a book for parents. In Fall Down 7 Times, Get Up 8, Debbie Silver addresses the need for adults to not only let kids fail, but encourage failure as a way to build resiliancy and critical thinking skills.

Happy reading!

Just a Little Freaking Out....

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.

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!!

Two Months DTE

We are celebrating month two of being DTE by moving down on the unofficial waiting list. We're still patiently waiting, knowing that more families ahead of us just means that there are more kiddos getting placed with their forever families. The number is fun to watch but seems really neither here nor there. One mysterious day, we'll get a phone call... till then, we're just along for the ride :)

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!

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!

:)