Another step closer

It's been about a month since I've last updated everyone, but, not to worry, things have been going on "behind the scenes." 

After several months of gathering papers, letters, and documents and a few weeks of state authentication, my dossier was complete near the end of November! When everything was ready, I was fortunate enough to have my mom accompany me to the post office over the Thanksgiving weekend to send my completed dossier to my adoption agency's home office. After they received it and reviewed it, they sent it to be authenticated by government agencies in Washington DC on December 3.

Today I heard back that my dossier returned to my adoption agency after being authenticated and is being sent to Ethiopia tomorrow!

Once there, there are a few steps to get my dossier registered, etc., which can take a couple of months. When that process is over I should be on the official waiting list. The important thing today is that my dossier is on it's way and I'm continuing to move one step closer!

While I'm waiting for a referral, I will be completing trainings and education and also learning Amharic. My waiting time can take up to a couple years, but I am so blessed by all the support and positivity I have received from friends, family, and everyone I tell about my journey, that I know the time will go more smoothly for me.

So, that's the update for today, one of the more major milestones. :)

Thank you for your continued support, love, and prayers - I am truly grateful.



Encouragement and Support

"There are saints sitting next to you, making themselves hoarse shouting words of encouragement."

Two weeks ago we held a fundraiser for my adoption journey, and last week my pastor spoke those words in her sermon. Yes, there are saints (visible and unseen) sitting with me, making themselves hoarse, and I couldn't be more grateful.

When my mom and I started planning this fundraiser, I don't think either of us knew what to expect. Family members stepped forward to help gather items and to bake for a bake sale. We all worked for months planning the day, getting donations, and baking. It was also a blessing that my mom's church allowed us to hold the event at the church when the original venue fell through. When the day finally came, I was just hoping that enough people would come to win the items we had collected.

The event turned out to be more than I could ever have imagined! Thanks to my aunt and my grandma, we had more baked goods than I've seen in a long time, everyone helped to gather 30+ baskets to win, and a henna artist was able to come and apply art on the guests. As I think back on the day, I am still overwhelmed by everyone that came to support me and my journey and at everyone's generosity. Because of the kind, caring, compassionate people that come out that day, I was able to raise more than I could have thought was possible.



My cousin and my grandma, showing their henna.



There are a few stories I'd like to share about that day, stories that I am looking forward to sharing with my child:

• I am blessed by a handful of people who travelled a far distance to support me at this event, including my aunt and cousin from Minneapolis and two ladies from my church; however, I was also blessed to be surprised by a good friend and her family, whose lives have also been touched by adoption. This friend has been my guide through this roller coaster of a journey, and having her and her family present was a great show of their continued support.
• Before the event began, when my aunts, uncles, cousins, parents, and grandma were finishing setting everything up, my cousin-in-law pulled me aside and said she had a special gift for me. What I opened was the most thoughtful gift - a ready made scrapbook I can use to chronicle my journey, with pages for writing my thoughts and pages for pictures, etc. I can tell she spent a lot of time and put a lot of heart in to the book and I'm excited to fill it out and share it with my child.
• About halfway through the event a lady and a young boy came through the door and she told me that they were there to donate to the adoption and handed me a coin purse they had made from a sock. I introduced myself and explained that I was the person adopting, thanked them, and asked them to sign in. The lady (who I found out was the boy's grandmother) filled out her grandson's name, an indicator to me that this sock of change they had donated was from him. There is not a more touching moment to me than the action of this young boy.

There are so many other stories I could share, from an anonymous donation being hand delivered from my mom's pastor, to my young cousins putting together a basket to win and coworkers pre-buying tickets to show their well-wishes, but the most important thing to me is the overwhelming sense of support I walked away with that day.

I know their voices are going hoarse, and I am so thankful and indebted to all of my saints.

Fundraiser Update

We've been hard at work putting together the fundraiser (see post below for date, time, and location). We have SO many baskets available to win...please stop by and bring a friend, or two, or ten. :)

To see more about what items will be available, and pictures of most baskets, check out the Facebook event page.

I also want to take the time to thank everyone who has helped with this - whether it's been making baskets, donating items, or giving of time and energy.

I look forward to seeing everyone there!

Come One, Come All

If you're looking for a way to help me with adoption expenses, and would like to have a fun time while doing it...consider coming to my fundraiser - scheduled for the end of October.

Jeremiah 29:11

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

This is something I've been telling myself the past couple days when some discouraging news and/or discouraging thoughts creep in. The Lord brought me to this decision and I know that He will bring me through it and everything will happen in his time. The final part of this verse from my Good News Bible offers me additional solace in times of frustration and discouragement because it ends with "...plans to bring about the future you hope for."

I guess the reason for this post is that I find myself in uncharted territory. And, yes, I know that working through challenges and surviving through uncharted waters will make me stronger and a more prepared person, but this experience is truly a roller coaster. Just when I think I have things figured out and the days are going smoothly, a curve ball is thrown in and the discouragement starts to settle in my brain (and a little in my heart). That's when, again, I am sent signs from the Lord that calm my fears and worries. (These come in the form of generosity, passing comments, church messages, etc.) My adoption timeline and plans are in His hands and on his timetable, and when I think about that and feel it with my whole heart I am at peace.

Thank you all for your continued support from near and far. Please continue to send positive thoughts and prayers my way as I work through this journey.

I leave you today with a thought (that was calming for me) from the sermon I heard at church today - "In Christ we are able to do what we are called to do." <3

Dossier and Grants and Fundraisers...OH MY!

Dossier:
Lately I've been spending most of my time working on putting together my dossier paperwork. I can gratefully say that I'm almost done. After a trip to the doctor this week and a fingerprinting appointment in the next couple weeks I should have everything ready to be sent to get state sealed. THEN all of those precious papers get sent for translation and off to Ethiopia. The day I send those papers to my agency will be bittersweet - I'll be happy that my part of the paperwork will be over and I move to the waiting and educating stage, but I'll also be emotional because that's when the waiting starts and the timetable will be out of my hands. So, the next update will probably be the day I mail them for the state seal, or the day I send the paperwork to my agency.

Grants:
I've also spent some significant time working on grant applications. As I've said a lot on here (and in person) this is a costly adventure, and every little bit can help me reach my parenting goal. There are a few grants out there for me to apply for, and I'll keep you posted as the results come in.

Fundraisers:
First, thanks to those of you who have taken a look, and ordered, from my online fundraisers. If you still need to check them out, the links are to the left. :)
The planning for the fundraiser scheduled at the end of October is in full swing! My mom and I have been putting together the plan of what will be taking place, and some extended family members are helping out with getting raffle and silent auction items. If you're interested in information about the fundraiser, please contact me for details.
Another fundraiser I'm working on is what I think I'm going to start calling a "love and wishes quilt." Friends, family, and fundraiser event attendees will have the opportunity to write a message of love, good wishes, hopes, etc. to my child. These messages will be stitched on strips of fabric and then these strips will be made in to a quilt that will be used on my child's bed. Then, he/she can wrap up in the love and wishes of those people who care about him/her. Again, if you'd like more information about this quilt, please contact me.

School inservice starts next week, and school a week after that, so my mind and focus will start to shift toward lesson planning and paper grading, but my heart is always focused on my child.

Enjoy the fleeting days of summer before the crisp autumn air joins our days - and thanks for continuing to check in on my journey!

Questions Answered

Today I thought I'd take a second to answer some of the most common questions I tend to get when people hear about my adoption plans. If there's a question you have, that I don't answer, feel free to post it in the comments area and I'll answer it for you. :)

What age are you hoping for?
In my paperwork I have specified that, at the time of referral, I would like my child to be between 1-3 years old. With that in mind, by the time I bring my child home the age would be closer to 2-4 years old. The short answer? My child will be a toddler.

Are you adopting a boy or a girl?
I am open to either gender. When I talk about my adoption you'll hear me switching between the pronouns (unconsciously) because I don't like to say "it."

Why did you choose Ethiopia?
One of my friends was nearby when someone asked me this and she said, "She didn't pick Ethiopia, Ethiopia picked her." Since that's how it happened, that's how I respond. I can honestly say that Ethiopia picked me - through prayers, signs, and scripture. I explored all the options available to me and signs kept pointing me back to International Adoption, and Ethiopia.

How far are you?
I feel like I'm nearing the end of my portion of the process. I am compiling paperwork that will be translated to Amharic and sent to Ethiopia. From there, I wait for my referral - which could be up to two years. During that time (and now) I will be participating in education sessions and reading books that are geared toward adoptive parents.

Do you have to travel to get your child?
Yes. Actually, I get to travel to Ethiopia twice. Each trip lasts close to a week. From what I understand, the first trip is for our court date. Then, the second trip is an embassy date and the time I get to bring my child home. The time between those trips is probably going to be the longest time of my life since I will have seen him/her and won't be able to bring him/her home until a few months later.

Why is this child not staying with their family?
I won't know that answer until I get my specific referral, if ever.

How does your family feel about your decision?
My immediate family is extremely happy about the future and my decision. In addition, all of the extended family I've talked with are happy and supportive.

That's all I can think of. Again, if you have a question you can leave it as a comment. If you don't feel comfortable about the world seeing it, feel free to email me.

Thanks for stopping by and continuing to follow my journey. :)

Let the Fundraising Begin!

As I mentioned in my post earlier this week, I have a lot of fundraising ideas in the works. Well, two of these options are available now. :)

First is for those of you who love coffee. Simply click here or on the coffee bean logo on the left to be taken to my Just Love Coffee fundraiser. Once you've seen my storefront, you will also see a banner at the top of the page thanking you for supporting me - as long as that is present the items you order will be credited to my fundraising efforts. Just Love Coffee sells Fair Trade, Direct Trade, Organic coffee from around the world. They also have some great coffee accessories and equipment. (I think it'd be cool if you tried one of the Ethiopian blends.)

I'm also very excited to let you all know about the Adoption Bug T-Shirt fundraiser I am holding. This company makes shirts specifically about adoption. To get to my storefront, you can click here or on the shirt widget on the left. Adoption Bug sent me options for shirts to sell and I spent a lot of time deciding which would be the best, the six shirts you see on my page are the ones I selected. For each of these shirts ordered, I receive a commission. You can also browse and order additional shirts from their entire site, but my fundraising efforts only occur on the six selected shirts.

Please pass these links on to anyone you think would like them. The more the merrier. :)

I guess that's it. If you have any questions please contact me.

THANK YOU in advance for checking out my blog and my fundraisers.

The Long Awaited Update

What's that saying..."one step forward, two steps back"?

That pretty much describes my frustration right now. On the stepping forward front, my passport came in the mail this week! And, I've also been making progress on gathering my dossier papers. (Though I need to be working faster on this.) But, stepping back is also occuring while trying to gather some of the papers. I don't really want to go in to detail about who, what, etc. but the task of gathering papers of my life has been a test in patience.

This week a close friend got me an Ahmaric dictionary and an Ethiopian cookbook - so in the long run I'm looking more at the steps forward than the ones back.

Moving on to more update news ~

1. Fundraisers: The adoption process is exciting, but can also be costly. To help with some of the expenses I have been trying to figure out some different fundraising options. I am pleased to annouce that some fundraisers are in the works!
• Online: I have set up an online t-shirt sale and will notify everyone (here, email, Facebook) when it's all set up and ready to go. I'll also be having an online coffee sale at the same time. Be watching for blog updates and notification emails for ordering information. :)
• In person:
• People in Northern Wisconsin should mark their calendar for October 27 so you can enjoy a day of games, raffles, and fun. More details are coming VERY soon!
• Fox Valley friends and family, I am just starting work on a fundraiser that will help with some of your holiday shopping! I'm hoping to have the get together during one of the first weeks of November.
• Wautoma area friends, there is something fun in the works...just trying to nail down a when and where. :)
2. Process: Just an update on the process I'm going through for those of you wondering about steps, timelines, etc. I've completed the Home Study (which formally approves me for adoption) and am gathering papers for my dossier. My dossier is what gets sent to Ethiopia and is used when matching me with my child. Matching can take anywhere up to two years after the paperwork is received - see why I need to get moving faster on my dossier? :)
3. Prayers: Thank you to everyone for their prayers and positive thoughts. This is an exciting process but can also be lengthy at times. God's reassurance and presence gives me the patience and calmness that I need to get through this.

<3 Thanks for checking in! <3

Parallels

So, those of you who have read the backstory of my adoption journey know that about a year ago I made the life changing decision to adopt. Shortly after that I started working out pretty consistently, especially enjoying DVDs with Jillian Michaels. When I found out she was in the process of adopting her daughter I felt even more of a connection and kiship to her.

Anyway...since then I've followed her story and was happy to see this Ladies' Home Journal article today. Please click on the link to check it out. Again, I like this article because she shares information that most people who aren't in the process wouldn't be familiar with. And, I really connected with what she has to say about her worries, etc. (The online version that I've shared with you actually includes extra questions about her son that weren't included in the magazine.)

Status update: This week I was sent a copy of my Home Study, signifying that process to be done. Today I was contacted by the Ethiopian Dossier Specialist to set up a time to discuss starting my dossier.

 ...one step closer...

If you want to be updated when I post, there are options on the right side, under the timeline - email or newsfeed.

Fundraising Efforts

First of all, I need to acknowledge all the positive responses I've received from everyone. Thank you all for your emotional support and backing.

While this new chapter of my life is exciting, the most daunting part for me is the financing portion. Throughout this entire process and journey I will be having several different fundraising events, items, etc. Please keep your eyes on Facebook and this blog to find out how you can help me. My first fundraising venture was at a recent garage sale where I sold typical garage sale items, but also had homemade magnets and jewelry for sale. In addition, my awesome friend Ellen donated some items that she sewed for me to sell (reusable bags - like lunch bags, tote bags, pillows, and a baby quilt). Of course, not all items sold, so I still have some magnets, jewelry, and items from Ellen. I will continue to sell them until they're gone...and then I'll probably make more. In fact, if you have a need for my craftiness, I can make custom orders. (I made 50+ custom magnets recently.)

Custom order of Orange Bear magnets,
ready to be shipped.

Again, thanks for all your positive comments and support. Continue to check back here for updates. :)

One step closer

I am happy to announce that my home study is officially done and was submitted to my agency's main office for final approval on Tuesday! One step closer!

And, recently Jillian Michaels has shared about her adoption experience. In this video she talks about welcoming two children in to her family, but the reason I like it so much is that she talks about the adoption process and uses terms you'll hear from me a lot. If you have time, you might want to watch it.

I'm going to be a mom!

...Well, not soon...or in nine months...but I AM going to be a mom!

So, those of you who know me well know I'm probably not the best secret keeper, but I've kept this secret from almost all of you for just about a year.

This past summer a great friend invited me over to her family's Fourth of July celebration. I had a lot of fun, but especially enjoyed all the kids running around, including my friend's daughter, who is adopted from Guatemala. On the way to my family's annual Fourth of July celebration I made my life changing decision to start looking in to adoption. When I got to my aunt's I told my mom I made a big decision during my drive. She said, "You're going to adopt" before I could even say anything. From there, the journey began.

Throughout the past several months I have decided on an agency to work with, and a country I plan to adopt from. Every time I started to second guess or wonder about my decision, the Lord stepped in with a sign that this is what I should do - a reassurance I can't explain.

Currently I am in the home study portion of the application process and my last meeting is this coming week. After that is approved I can start putting together my dossier to send to Ethiopia. That's when the waiting starts.

This has been an exciting and emotional decision and I know that the hardest part is still ahead of me. So, when you're wondering how things are going or when my child will be coming home, please keep checking back here - I promise to keep this updated as often as I find out any news. I will also post any fundraising ideas and events that I have planned.

Please keep me and my journey in your thoughts and prayers, the next year could be very trying on me but the reward is going to be SO worth it.